Axios San Antonio

April 01, 2026
😂 It's Friday!
- JK, it's Wednesday. Happy April Fools' Day.
⛅ Today's weather: Partly sunny. High in the low 90s, low around 70.
🎂 Happy birthday to our member Cindy Stynchula!
🗓️ Situational awareness: As Passover gets underway this evening, we're sending warm wishes to everyone celebrating.
Today's newsletter is 1,028 words — a 4-minute read.
1 big thing: Downtown ballpark comes into focus
San Antonio is getting its first look at designs for a new Minor League Baseball stadium downtown surrounded by apartments and hotel rooms.
Why it matters: Team owners aim to transform downtown, an area known as a tourist mecca, into a destination for locals.
Driving the news: The owners of the San Antonio Missions shared the designs ahead of their review by a city commission scheduled for 3pm today.
Zoom in: The development plans include a 27-story apartment building with 410 units, a 14-story apartment building with 271 units and an 8-story hotel with about 160 rooms.
- All would have space for retail or other businesses on the ground floor. They would sit south of the planned ballpark, which is near San Pedro Creek Culture Park.

Catch up quick: Plans have previously shown the new ballpark could have about 4,500 seats and a capacity of up to 7,500 people.
- The team's ownership includes the co-founders of Weston Urban, the local developer that would build the apartments and hotel.
Flashback: For the new apartments to proceed, the Soap Factory Apartments are being demolished. It's a rare downtown building with naturally affordable rents, and the decision to displace those renters drew ire from affordable housing advocates.

How it works: The development is set up to help pay for the stadium. Previous estimates put the ballpark cost at $160 million.
- The city plans to use increased property taxes from the new apartments and hotel to help repay bonds it will issue to pay for the stadium.
What they're saying: "Between UTSA's campus expansion, Frost Tower, the Ballpark and our residential developments, the Creek is now an unparalleled place for all San Antonians to live, work, learn, and maybe most importantly, play," Randy Smith, co-founder and CEO of Weston Urban, said in a statement.
What's next: City commissioners will share thoughts on the designs today, but developers will still have to come back for final approval.
2. Bill would let cities bid to keep teams
U.S. Rep. Greg Casar (D-Austin) and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) have introduced federal legislation that would require owners of professional sports teams to give their community a chance to buy the team before relocating.
Why it matters: Questions about the Spurs potentially relocating if voters didn't approve public funding for a new arena roiled San Antonio last fall.
- The team never publicly threatened to move, but officials and voters suggested they would. Voters ultimately passed the arena funding.
Between the lines: Major league sports teams often use the threat of relocation — real or perceived — to pressure local governments and voters to put tax dollars toward new arenas and stadiums.
- Economists generally say the public pays and owners profit.
- Casar still represents downtown San Antonio, until new U.S. House districts take effect next year.
How it works: The bill would make owners provide notice one year before moving the team to another metro area or across state lines.
- That's meant to give locals — a government entity, nonprofit or person — a chance to come together with an offer.
- Teams wouldn't be prevented from moving if a local buyer couldn't "meet a fair and reasonable price, as assessed by a team of appraisers," per a news release.
Reality check: A bill pushed by progressives is unlikely to make it far in the Republican-controlled U.S. House.
What they're saying: "The Home Team Act would make sure that the Spurs stay in my home district, in San Antonio," Casar said at a news conference announcing the legislation.
3. Inside the Loop
A co-founder of the Michelin-recognized Leche de Tigre restaurant, Axel Oliva, has died. He was 31. (CultureMap SA)
🚨 Bexar County is gaining up to $1.25 million in state funding to install flood warning sirens over the next year and a half. (Express-News 🔑)
😞 Locke Hill Feed, Pet and Lawn Supply has closed its doors on the Northwest Side after nearly 46 years in business. It was one of the last independent pet stores in San Antonio. (SA Current)
4. 🍽️ Another Beard bid
Mixtli and chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph of Nicosi were named James Beard Award finalists yesterday.
The latest: Mixtli is a finalist in the outstanding restaurant category. Bristol-Joseph is a finalist for outstanding pastry chef or baker.
Between the lines: While San Antonio has yet to win a James Beard award, both Mixtli and Nicosi have earned Michelin stars.
- Southtown mainstay Mixtli offers a multi-course, prix-fixe experience that changes regularly, with each menu exploring a different region of Mexico. It has been a James Beard nominee four times before.
- Nicosi, a dessert bar at Pullman Market, offers a multi-course menu through an intimate chef's counter format.
What they're saying: "This project has been his brainchild and baby for a long time, coming straight from the heart," a post on Nicosi's Instagram reads. "Any accolade has been icing on the cake."
What's next: Winners will be announced at a gala in Chicago on June 14.
5. 🥪 1 West Texas sandwich to go
Our Axios Austin colleague Nicole recently spent a long weekend in West Texas.
The real highlight of her trip was a sandwich. Here's her dispatch.
Dig in: We grabbed lunch from Bordo, an Italian deli in Marfa, which makes sandwiches on their own wood-fired, in-house sourdough bread.
- I can't stop thinking about that day's special: a roast beef sandwich with a creamy horseradish sauce, arugula, lemon, basil, topped with shaved parmesan cheese.
- Their menu changes frequently, but I have no doubt that it's all delicious. We sampled three other sandwiches and loved them all, along with fettuccine alfredo pasta.

Six-word review: So good, we ate it twice.
📍 If you go: Bordo serves lunch Thursday through Sunday, 11am-3pm, or while supplies last.
- The shop usually has a line out the door and sells out of sandwiches fast. It's worth getting there when they open.
Thanks to our editors Astrid Galván and Bob Gee.
🥱 Madalyn is staying up late to catch the Spurs game.
🥳 Megan is wishing a happy birthday to a dear friend.
Sign up for Axios San Antonio








