Money Talks But It Has a Downtown Address
Weeks ago, I pointed out how the latest town halls about the Frost Bank Center’s future feel more like a bureaucratic formality than genuine community engagement. The deals are being made with minimal consideration for the people and our city leaders won’t condemn the backdoor dealings or their own decades of failure to deliver real progress. Instead, they scramble to reconcile their lost efforts.
Frost Bank Center’s Future: 2 Town Halls Held For Residents
So far 2- town halls have taken place, organized by Commissioner Tommy Calvert., which featured city leaders like Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, Alamo Colleges Trustee Gloria Ray, and SAISD Trustee Alicia Sebastian.
Commissioner Tommy Calvert, elected in 2014, has had a decade to bring progress, yet the only thing the Eastside is getting ready for is an another exodus, first being the black community pushed out to the Northeast side and now the Spurs moving downtown.
Rep. Hawkins Calls for Bus Tour to ‘Connect it All’
Meanwhile, Rep. Gervin-Hawkins, whose district includes the Eastside, said she needs a tour to ‘connect it all‘, “Bus trip!” she stated. Which is a curious statement from the project coordinator of the Red Berry Estate and The Salado at Red Berry apartments just a mile away from the Frost Bank Center—another development that, like the arena itself, failed to stimulate any sustainable growth on the Eastside.
McKee-Rodriguez of D2, respectively, is the only city official willing to challenge the status quo. He remains skeptical about a new arena, stating:
My expectation is we get that level of care and planning that’s going on around the convention center, the Alamodome, and the highways.
Who’s Responsible for the Eastside?
As we continue to observe the ongoing and future developments of the Frost Bank Center, it’s clear that accountability remains elusive for some. Promises have been made, meetings have been held, words have been said, yet the Eastside still waits for meaningful progress.
KSAT’s RJ Marquez spoke with Pat Frost, president of this year’s San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, about the arena’s future. With Project Marvel funneling billions into downtown, the rodeo is positioning itself as the Eastside’s primary tenant should the Spurs leave. Frost explained that the rodeo isn’t responsible for local development but believes its presence could spur economic growth.
What our proposal is to the county is we’ll bring people there. These folks are going to want nearby hotels and restaurants. Once people are there nine months in the year, I think the real estate developers are going to be able to come in and say, okay, that’s what makes more sense. Bring the people, and then the businesses will come.
Frost stated to KSAT
Money Talks But It Has a Downtown Address
But let’s be real—downtown is not even two miles away from the Frost Bank Center, yet tourists spend their money there, not on the Eastside. Developers are pouring billions into downtown, hence Project Marvel, the Missions baseball stadium, and several other surrounding multi-million developments.
So, who bears the responsibility? Well, that’s for your judgement. While we don’t get a vote on where the Spurs or the Stock Show put their money, we do elect the leaders who are supposed to genuinely fight for our community when these big corporations and organizations utilize our area for selective gain.
At the end of the day, money talks, and right now, it’s got a downtown address. But if the Eastside is ever going to get its fair share, it’ll take more than hope—it’ll take holding the right people accountable for the Eastside stagnation while moving on for more successful economic development.
Until then— Goodnight and good luck.
