San Antonio – The San Antonio Spurs are moving forward on a $1.3 billion downtown arena that will anchor a $1.4 billion sports and entertainment district near the Tower of the Americas. The team, the City of San Antonio and Bexar County have agreed to fund the project while deliberately keeping a large share of the work in the hands of local firms.

Local firms at the forefront

Liberty Swift, a spokesperson for the Spurs, said the project’s success depends on a blend of national expertise and deep‑rooted local knowledge. “For a project of this scale, the right team includes both national partners with experience delivering complex sports, entertainment and mixed‑use projects and local firms with deep knowledge of San Antonio, its businesses, workforce and communities,” Swift wrote.

So far, 10 of the 18 firms hired by the Spurs are based in San Antonio. One of those is Pape‑Dawson, whose civil engineer Tom Carver is already working on the arena’s concept phase. Carver noted that the Spurs have mandated that at least one‑third of subcontractors be local, and the team estimates that 30% of the controllable cost of the project will stay in the community.

Mentorship program to lift small businesses

The non‑binding term sheet the Spurs signed with the city for the $489 million portion of arena funding includes a promise to develop a peer‑to‑peer business mentorship program. The goal is to give small, locally‑owned contractors a chance to work on a high‑profile development and learn from larger partners.

Local landscape architecture firm MP Studio, hired to collaborate with the internationally‑renowned Sasaki, says its San Antonio roots help shape the arena’s public spaces. “Being born and raised in San Antonio, we all have our own memories of watching the Spurs,” said principal Alex Gonzalez. “It’s connected to the broader fabric of what makes downtown great.”

Community engagement drives design

The Spurs have held a series of listening sessions across the city, coordinated by OCI Group, a West‑Side‑based community‑engagement firm. OCI co‑founder Ixchell González emphasized that many participants were born and raised on the West and South Sides, ensuring the project reflects the city’s character.

Residents were invited to share ideas in writing, conversation, or by choosing between design options. Those insights are feeding into the arena’s layout, public plazas and surrounding streetscape.

Local construction expertise adds depth

San Antonio‑based Bartlett Cocke, partnered with national builder Mortenson, brings 70 years of regional construction experience. CEO James Anderson said the firm’s familiarity with local laws, infrastructure and traffic patterns is essential for a project of this magnitude.

MP Studio’s principal Cecilia Garcia‑Hours added that the collaboration lets local designers learn from larger firms while teaching them about the region’s climate, materials and native plants.

Economic boost amid a slowdown

Carver warned that commercial and housing development in San Antonio has slowed after a post‑pandemic boom. A major, multi‑year project like the arena can keep smaller construction firms afloat during downturns. “When you get a big project like this that carries you through a downturn, it keeps any business in business,” he said.

Anderson echoed that sentiment, noting the team’s commitment to keep dollars in San Antonio: “At the end of the day, we want to keep this as local as possible, and have as much participation from and keep our dollars here in San Antonio.”

Public funding and voter sentiment

The arena’s public financing passed in the November election, though nearly 48 % of voters—more than 118,000 San Antonians—opposed using city and county money for the project. City council recently debated whether to put the funding question to another vote.

Even those who voted “no” are being invited to continue the conversation. OCI’s González stressed the importance of genuine dialogue: “It’s better to have a seat at the table and have input.” The Spurs development team affirmed its openness to ongoing community feedback.

Looking ahead

As planning moves from concept to design, the blend of national consultants, local architects, engineers and community voices aims to produce an arena that not only hosts world‑class events but also reflects San Antonio’s heritage and supports its families and businesses for years to come.

Original reporting: San Antonio Report — read the source article.