A guide to Prop. A, San Antonio Rodeo expansion
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A rendering shows an update to the area connecting the Frost Bank Center and the Freeman Coliseum. Image: Courtesy of San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
Bexar County voters on Nov. 4 will have their say on whether the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo should expand to make the East Side its year-round home.
Why it matters: The rodeo is seeking a $197 million renovation from the same pot of funding the Spurs want to use for a new downtown arena.
- The rodeo's plans are predicated on the Spurs moving out of the Frost Bank Center.
State of play: The rodeo currently runs for a little over two weeks in February at the Frost Bank Center, and the Spurs take a "rodeo road trip" during that time.
Zoom in: If voters approve an increase in the county's venue tax as Proposition A on the ballot, rodeo CEO Cody Davenport tells Axios that $197 million for the rodeo would go toward:
- Converting one of the expo buildings into an arena that can draw events year-round.
- Adding a new building for livestock exhibitions and junior shows.
- Renovating other county buildings so that they can host conventions.
- Allowing the rodeo to add about 20 days per year inside the Frost Bank Center and the adjacent Freeman Coliseum, in which the rodeo could also host concerts.
Context: If the Spurs exit the Frost Bank Center, it would leave an opening of about 40 days per year that are normally filled with NBA home games, Davenport says.
What they're saying: "It has a very unwelcoming, cold feel to it with the barns and a lot of asphalt," Davenport says of the current rodeo grounds. "We are confident that we are ready to expand operations into … a year-round format."
- Davenport says more regular events like Charreadas and ropings will "allow us to kind of have a feel down here, an identity."
How it works: Bexar County's venue tax is a fund generated by a 1.75% tax on hotel rooms and a 5% tax on car rentals. Proposition A seeks to raise the hotel portion of the tax to 2%. That would be an increase of 25 cents on a $100 per-night hotel room.
- The venue tax can only be used on facility projects like arenas and stadiums and "related infrastructure," which can include things like stores, restaurants and hotels nearby.
- Proposition B on the ballot would put about $311 million from the increased venue tax toward a new Spurs arena.
Between the lines: While several local groups are opposing a new downtown Spurs arena, there doesn't appear to be major opposition to the rodeo's plans.
Yes, but: If Proposition A passes but Proposition B fails, "The honest answer is that there would be a whole lot of unknowns," Davenport says.
- For the rodeo to fulfill its vision, the Spurs need to leave the Frost Bank Center, he added.
What's next: The last day to register to vote is Monday. Early voting begins Oct. 20.