San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones addresses the crowd during a listening session on Friday. Credit: Michael Karlis

Hundreds of San Antonians showed up to Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ Thursday and Friday listening sessions on a proposed vote on whether the city should contribute $489 million to a new Spurs arena.

Jones said adding the arena funding measure to the November ballot would cost the city $1.5 million and added that her staff has asked City Manager Erik Walsh to hold a special meeting on the issue. That could happen as soon as next Thursday, she added.

Last November, Bexar County voters narrowly approved raising the county’s hotel and car rental tax to 2% and using that projected $311 million in revenue to help pay for a new $1.3 billion Spurs arena at Hemisfair.

However, Jones has argued that San Antonio taxpayers never had adequate say in the city’s $489 million contribution to the project.

“Last November, we were not talking about raising property taxes,” Jones told the Current. “Now, city voters hear about a $158 million city budget deficit, and we’re looking at raising property taxes not once but potentially twice.”

The $489 million would be financed through a mix of funding sources tied to projected sales and property tax growth in and around Hemisfair.

Residents watch Jones speak during a listening session at the Northeast Senior Center on Friday. Credit: Michael Karlis

Jones also said that details surrounding Project Marvel — the $4 billion downtown sports-and-entertainment district anchored by the new Spurs arena — have also changed drastically since November, which is reason enough to put the project in front of city voters.

“There’s no more land bridge, the 1,000-room convention center hotel is no longer on the table, which is critical for the Project Finance Zone,” Jones said.

At both Jones’ Thursday evening and Friday morning listening sessions, the majority of citizens who spoke said they want to the see public financing question on the ballot this fall.

District 9 resident Carl Perez compared Project Marvel to the failed Fiesta Plaza Mall, a failed west-of-downtown development that came to be known as the “Pink Elephant.” He argued that the city’s funding for the arena should have always been separate from the “other stuff” included in Project Marvel.

Local activist Kathy Vale encouraged residents to ask themselves, “Why would anyone be opposed to giving us an opportunity to vote?”

However, political consultant Andrew Solano, who ran the Spurs’ “Vote Yes” campaign, criticized Jones for not calling on enough Spurs supporters during the Q&A portion of Thursday’s session. Solano said he attended the town hall as a private citizen.

“Unfortunately, it seems like the mayor was kind of handpicking who she wanted to ask questions tonight,” Solano said. “Anybody with Spurs gear didn’t really get a chance to ask their question. So, that’s unfortunate. I think we need to hear both sides.”

Jones did call on a group of Spurs fans during Thursday’s gathering. One of those attendees proposed a “do-over” on her election as mayor.

Although KSAT reported earlier this week that Jones doesn’t have the necessary council votes to get the issue on the November ballot, some on the dais said they stand behind her.

District 6 Councilman Ric Galvan told the Current on Thursday that he supports the mayor’s calls for a November election on the arena.

“I’ll be supportive of having a second vote on it,” Galvan said. “Overall, my district is very skeptical about the arena deal. I have no qualms in letting people vote again so they can make their voice heard directly on it.”

Jones plans to hold at least one more listening session on her proposal next week. Initially, a listening town hall was scheduled for Monday at the Urban Ecology Center, but was scrapped due to an air-conditioning issue at the complex, her team said.

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Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...