The San Antonio Spurs’ owners have agreed to pay the City of San Antonio $2.5 million, resolving an issue that has been pending since the team’s failed bid to bring a Major League Soccer (MLS) team to the city eight years ago.

Background

In 2015, the city, Bexar County, and the Spurs’ owners formed a partnership to purchase Toyota Field, a soccer-specific stadium in North San Antonio, for $21 million. The Spurs’ owners agreed to contribute $3 million, lease the stadium for 20 years, and operate San Antonio FC, which competes in the USL Championship, a level below the MLS.

As part of the deal, the Spurs’ owners also agreed to pay the city and the county $2.5 million each if the effort to bring an MLS team to San Antonio fell through. Although the team was not successful in its bid, it still owns and operates San Antonio FC, which plays its home games at Toyota Field.

Recently, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones asked the Spurs’ owners to pay the city the $2.5 million it was owed. The payment will be used to fund renovations to Toyota Field, including the installation of new scoreboards and LED boards, as well as a facility assessment and future improvements.

Payment and Renovations

The San Antonio-Bexar County Soccer Public Facility Corp. (SABC Soccer PFC), a public, nonprofit corporation that owns and operates Toyota Field, will vote on accepting the $2.5 million payment from the Spurs’ owners. The payment will help to cover the costs of various projects, including the purchase of new scoreboards and LED boards, as well as a facility assessment and future improvements.

The Spurs’ owners had previously paid $250,000 of the $2.5 million in 2021, but had missed $1.7 million in payments since then. The total amount owed, including interest, is now over $2 million.

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