Eastside Deserves Better: Spurs’ Potential Frost Bank Center Exit Raises Familiar Concerns
The Frost Bank Center, long situated in the heart of San Antonio’s Eastside, is once again at the center of uncertainty as the San Antonio Spurs announce plans for “Project Marvel,” a new development that could see the team leave the arena far sooner than expected. While the arena’s lease extends until 2032, the Spurs’ ambitions appear to be accelerating, leaving residents questioning not only the future of the facility but also the legacy of yet another business leaving the Eastside community high and dry.
For decades, the Eastside, historically District 2, has been a landing ground for businesses enticed by incentives—businesses that then fail to contribute meaningfully to the community. They avoid paying their fair share of taxes, make only minimal investments in local causes, and leave long before fulfilling their promises. The Frost Bank Center and its pending fate feel like yet another chapter in this well-worn story.
Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez addressed this sentiment during a press conference, emphasizing the need for accountability:
“How you leave a community is more important than how you found it. If and when the Spurs leave the Frost Bank Center, they need to leave my community in a much better position than we are in today.”
The Frost Bank Center, owned by Bexar County, has been a cornerstone of major events such as the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. However, the Spurs’ potential relocation raises questions about whether the facility will continue to be a viable venue for these events or whether it will become yet another underutilized structure in the heart of the Eastside.
Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai has expressed frustration over being left out of the planning process, issuing a statement that his office had not been briefed nor provided with details of the Spurs’ announcement in advance. Efforts to contact other county officials, including Precinct 4 Commissioner Tommy Calvert, have gone unanswered, adding to the community’s concerns about transparency and planning.
The Spurs’ move downtown has been the subject of speculation for over a year, but the announcement of Project Marvel, paired with a lack of clarity from local leaders, leaves Eastside residents wondering if they will be left with yet another empty promise and an abandoned building.
The pattern is familiar: businesses come to the Eastside, benefit from incentives, and leave without addressing the impact of their departure. Whether it’s big-box retailers, chain restaurants, or even sports teams, the result is the same—missed opportunities and a community left to clean up the mess.
As San Antonio watches the Frost Bank Center’s uncertain future unfold, Eastside residents are calling for stronger leadership and real commitments from both the Spurs and local officials. After years of neglect and broken promises, the community deserves more than vague reassurances—it deserves tangible improvements that outlast the latest business departure.
For the Eastside, this isn’t just about an arena or a basketball team; it’s about respect, equity, and finally breaking the cycle of being used and forgotten.
