AT A GLANCE
- The Historic Design and Review Commission gave conceptual approval to the downtown San Antonio Missions stadium project on April 1, 2026.
- The development includes a new ballpark, two apartment buildings, and a hotel near San Pedro Creek.
- The project stems from a 2024 City Council vote that moved the stadium forward and led to redevelopment and displacement tied to the site.
- The stadium is expected to open in spring 2028 and replace Nelson Wolff Stadium on the West Side.
Downtown San Antonio Stadium Proposal Clears First Design Step
A proposed downtown baseball stadium for the San Antonio Missions has cleared its first design hurdle after receiving conceptual approval from the city’s Historic Design and Review Commission on Wednesday, moving the long discussed and controversial project one step closer to construction.
The commission approved the early designs for the stadium along with plans for two apartment buildings and a hotel tied to the larger development.
The vote came without extended discussion and was grouped with several other unrelated agenda items, meaning the action was an initial sign off rather than a final green light.
Final Approval Is Still Ahead
The project’s developers, Weston Urban and Designated Bidders, will still have to return to the commission for separate reviews of all four components before moving into the permitting phase.
Cory Edwards, interim director of the city’s Office of Historic Preservation, said the next stage will involve more detailed work from the design teams before the projects come back for final approval.
Final approval is required for the certificate of appropriateness tied to permitting, so this week’s action was only the opening step.
What the Downtown Missions Project Includes
The proposed ballpark would be built between Camaron Street and North Flores Street along San Pedro Creek, just south of the San Antonio ISD administration building. Current plans call for a stadium with roughly 7,000 to 7,500 fans in total capacity, including 4,500 fixed seats.
The surrounding development includes:
- A 14 story residential tower with 271 units
- An eight story hotel with about 160 rooms
- A 27 story apartment building with 410 units and a parking garage
The larger first phase is part of a broader mixed use redevelopment effort around the new stadium site.
Financing and Timeline Still Need Work
The stadium itself is expected to cost about $160 million, but the surrounding development pushes the broader investment far higher. Reports have tied the first phase to a larger redevelopment effort valued at roughly $1 billion. Financing details are still being worked out, including public and private funding mechanisms tied to the project.
Weston Urban has said it is still working to secure financing for the private development pieces and hopes to begin work this year. The expected opening date for the ballpark remains spring 2028.
Earlier Coverage: Project Has Already Impacted the Area
The current progress follows when in 2024 City Council approved the downtown stadium plan in a 9 to 2 vote despite opposition from residents connected to the Soap Factory Apartments.
At the time, residents said they were given limited notice before displacement plans were presented, with some receiving relocation information just hours before the vote. “We are humans, not a business deal,” resident Brooklyn Ramos said.
Since that approval, parts of the land tied to the project have already been cleared and repurposed, including use as parking as redevelopment activity continues in the area. The earlier phase of the project also highlighted concerns around housing affordability, public funding tools like the Houston Street TIRZ, and long term impacts on surrounding communities.
Also read: Sanders, Casar Introduce Home Team Act to Prevent Team Relocations
New Ballpark Would Replace Nelson Wolff Stadium
If completed, the downtown stadium would replace Nelson Wolff Stadium on San Antonio’s West Side, which opened in 1994 and has long served as the home of the Missions.
The move would shift the team closer to the city center as officials and developers continue advancing major sports and entertainment projects downtown such as Project Marvel.
While final approvals are still ahead, parts of the redevelopment tied to the project have already taken shape since the city’s 2024 vote.
If completed, the stadium is expected to open in 2028, bringing the Missions from the West Side to downtown San Antonio.
