San Antonio City Council Meeting - August 6, 2026

The San Antonio City Council met on August 6, 2026, for a regular session. The meeting included approval of a consent agenda, public testimony on a proposed entertainment district advisory committee, discussions on eminent domain for infrastructure projects, creation of the city's first Municipal Management District (MMD), and approval of centralized marketing contracts.

Consent Calendar

• Approved items 7–32 as a group, except items 10, 11, and 23 (pulled for individual consideration). Notable consent items included the designation of José Flores III (street naming after a victim of a traffic accident) and several board appointments (e.g., Adriana Siga, Erika González, Yetun de Taiwano, Catherine Davis to the Historic Board; Dr. Sheryl Bright to the Trinity University council; Jacob to the Sidewalk Advisory Council).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Susan Scott (former general manager, San Antonio River Authority) spoke in favor of creating the entertainment district advisory committee. She recommended including Bexar County, selecting diverse community organizations (housing, business, transportation, arts, etc.), and ensuring adequate staff support.
• Cindy March ceded her time.
• Kathy Bell (District 1 resident, 31-year state employee, vice chair of Bexar County Election Advisory Committee) expressed disappointment in the lack of transparency and urgency from the council since the November 2025 election (which passed with 52% approval). She called for a higher-level citizen oversight committee, more public engagement, and emphasized that the project involves public money and land. She noted that many residents cannot afford $150 to attend downtown events and urged the city to go beyond legal requirements for public access.

Discussion Items

• Eminent Domain (Items 10 & 11): Item 10 authorized eminent domain for the Zarzamora grade separation project in District 5 (12 properties along Zarzamora Street). Item 11 authorized eminent domain for traffic improvements in District 9 (Hibner Road and Stone Oak Parkway, two partial acquisitions). Both passed unanimously with minimal discussion.
• Entertainment District Advisory Committee (Item 5): Councilmember Core introduced the resolution to create a 33-member advisory committee to provide recommendations on the $75 million community benefits agreement (CBA) from the Spurs/Marvel project. The committee would meet monthly and report to the council every six months. Councilmember Maki Rodriguez moved to postpone the item to August 19 with consideration on September 3, but the motion failed (voice vote: no). He then offered two amendments: (1) requiring all committee members to sign the city's ethics code (passed); (2) requiring three co-chairs from Districts 1, 2, and 5, and that each council member appoint at least one person from their district (failed). The original resolution then passed. Councilmembers emphasized the need for early community input and representation across the city.
• Centralized Marketing Contracts (Item 6): Staff presented a pre-qualified list of 14 firms for five categories (advertising, graphic design, public relations, public engagement, video production) under a $4.6 million annual capacity contract with a 3-year term and two 1-year renewals. No new appropriation; departments will use existing budgets. Council discussed efficiency gains (estimated 6,000 staff hours saved) and concerns about oversight. The contract was approved.
• Jones Avenue Municipal Management District (Item 23): This was the first MMD in San Antonio, covering 0.6 acres at Camden Street and West Jones Avenue, formerly owned by CPS Energy and now by M Jones LLC (developer Macon Enterprises). The MMD will issue tax-exempt bonds for infrastructure improvements. The board members (Lawson, Jesse, Pat Bernacki, Andrew Sims, Nick Prater, Nock Warren) were appointed. The project will connect Pearl to the San Antonio Museum of Art, with $300 million in investment. Approved unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved (items 7-32, except 10,11,23).
• Items 10 and 11 approved (eminent domain for infrastructure projects).
• Item 5 approved (creation of entertainment district advisory committee, with ethics code amendment).
• Item 6 approved (centralized marketing contracts, 14 firms).
• Item 23 approved (Jones Avenue MMD board appointments).
• Meeting adjourned at 11:21 a.m.