San Antonio City Budget Presentation and Discussion – August 26, 2026
San Antonio City Budget Presentation and Discussion – August 26, 2026
On August 26, 2026, the San Antonio City Council convened a budget session to review four departments: Sports & Conventions, Arts & Culture, Visit San Antonio, and the San Antonio Airport. The meeting focused on proposed budgets for fiscal year 2027, operational updates, and challenges related to capacity, competitiveness, and funding allocations. Council members raised questions and expressed positions on maintenance funding, hotel tax distribution, and the need for expanded convention space.
Discussion Items
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Sports & Conventions (Patricia Mosquis Cantor): The department manages the Henry B. González Convention Center, Alamodome, Carver Center, Toyota Field, and other venues. The proposed FY2027 budget is $84.6 million. The hotel occupancy tax (HOT) revenue for FY2027 is estimated at $919.4 million, up slightly, with 1.1% growth. The department highlighted the need for capital improvements: $8.1 million in FY2027 and $6.1 million in FY2028 for Alamodome critical needs. The convention center is operating at maximum capacity (75% operational maximum), limiting the ability to host additional events, while competing cities (Austin, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth) are spending over $7 billion on expansions. The council discussed the impact on future hotel room nights and the need for a 10-year contract extension. Councilmember Alderete Gabito requested a financial impact analysis and a timeline of competitor convention center openings. Councilmember Spears asked about comparative fees and parking costs, noting that parking can exceed event ticket prices. Councilmember Munguia inquired about the $12.8 million in capital projects, clarifying that the 2% set aside for expansion cannot be used for the described maintenance projects.
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Arts & Culture (Christopher Johnson): The proposed FY2027 budget for arts and culture is $14.2 million. The department supports over 1500 individuals through free programs, 30 artist trusts, and 60 public art projects. A $500,000 allocation for arts maintenance (funded from the general fund) was discussed. Councilmember White questioned whether $500,000 for art maintenance could be better used for traffic safety signs and suggested moving the funding to HOT. Councilmember Villagrán argued that the $500,000 should remain in the general fund to signal the city’s commitment to arts and culture. Councilmember Castillo noted the importance of the Carver Center and asked about the transfer of funds from general to entertainment fund. Councilmember Munguia requested an explanation for the large increase in projected participants (from 57 to 1,500) in arts programs, and asked about how eligibility for HOT funding is determined for non-profits that also receive general fund support.
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Visit San Antonio (Mario Vaz): The organization reported an economic impact of $23.4 billion in 2024, up 8.8% from the prior year, generating $284 million in city hotel taxes. In 2025, 1.9 million hotel room nights were sold through direct sales efforts, with a 45:1 return on investment. The council discussed the need to maintain competitiveness as other cities expand their convention centers. Councilmember Spears asked about the operational functions of Visit San Antonio’s scholarships and grant process. Councilmember Alderete Gabito requested that Visit San Antonio provide a breakdown of hotel room nights by event type (e.g., medical groups vs. others) and noted that DEI-focused groups have lost federal funding, impacting bookings. Councilmember Munguia questioned the relationship between short-term rentals and hotel occupancy.
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San Antonio Airport (Jesus H Sanz): The proposed FY2027 airport budget is $222 million, with $859 million in capital projects, including the new Terminal C (1.7 billion total, 26% construction complete). The airport serves 47 non-stop destinations and is working to expand service, particularly transatlantic routes. The council discussed the current passenger count (near 11.3 million) and the need to reach 13.5–14 million to achieve Category 1 status. Councilmember Alderete Gabito asked about the airport’s incentive program for new routes, and Councilmember Spears inquired about staffing vacancies (80 open positions, mostly police) and the $30 million federal grant for air traffic control modernization. Councilmember Munguia shared a personal travel experience to illustrate inconvenience of layovers and stressed the importance of direct flights. Councilmember Castillo asked about the timeline for Terminal C opening (expected early 2027) and the need for communication about construction-related traffic.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes were taken; the session was informational and for discussion.
- The council requested that Visit San Antonio and the Sports & Conventions department provide a financial impact analysis of potential convention center expansion and a detailed timeline of competitor expansions.
- Several council members expressed support for keeping the $500,000 arts maintenance allocation in the general fund, while others suggested exploring alternative funding sources (e.g., HOT) to free up general fund dollars for other priorities.
- The airport director committed to providing updated market studies and incentive program details for new routes, and to developing a communication plan for construction-related disruptions.
- Councilmembers agreed to further explore the overlap in funding between arts and culture non-profits and other city agency-delegated programs, with a goal of ensuring equitable distribution of HOT funds.
- The council will receive a follow-up report on the proposed 10-year contract extension for convention center management, including alternative options and associated costs.
Meeting Transcript
Buenas tardes, la hora son dos, uno de la tarde. Miércoles 26 de agosto del 2026, la ciudad la sesión de presupuesto de la ciudad de San Antonio, este llama a orden la junta. Señora Secretary, por favor, pase lista de voto. Concejal Core, concejal Maquir Rodríguez, concejal Villagrán, concejal Munguía, Concejal Castillo, Concejal Galván, Concejal de Tegavito, Concejal Mesa González, Concejal Spears, Concejal White, Alcalde Jones. Tenemos quorum señora. Gracias, señor Secretaria. Hoy vamos a revisar el departamento las instalaciones de deportes, al igual que el artes culturas, visit C SA y el aeropuerto. María Gómez. Buenas tardes. Como mencionamos, tenemos cuatro presentations. Voy a recomendar que las tomemos las cuatro in group y después habrá las preguntas. Con eso vamos a empezar con nuestra convención de nuestras instalaciones de convenciones and deportes. Patricia Mosquis Cantor va a dar la presentación. Buenas tardes, alcalde, concejal. Soy Patricia Musquy Cantor, soy directora del Departamento de Deportes y Convenciones. Gracias por su tiempo. El cumplimiento y los ampliaciones de monitor of the contrats, la expansión de las mejores del Alamodon y la expansional de HBGC. Y del Stadio Stadio Alamo. Esta diapositiva nos muestra la tasa de intereses de impuestos de San Antonio, que son el 17%, y se divide in three partes, seis percent para el Estado, nueve por ciento para la ciudad de San Antonio, dos para el condado. Tenemos el proyecto capital y el product actividades relacionadas y contribuyen quince por ciento al departamento de artes y culturas. El año fiscal 2027, la recavación de impuestos de ocupación de hoteles está 919.4 millones de pesos y esto aumentó. Está más alto porque incluyen dos millones en impuestos de hotelería. Con este contexto de las impuestos, esta revisión es nuestra dirección. La operación del centro de convenciones de Henry B. González, el Alamo Dome y el Centro Carver. También administramos el estadio y el campo de Toyota. Estas instalaciones son más que solamente lugares de eventos. Son grandes partes de la economía de San Antonio, más de 34 millones de dólares para San Antonio. Por ejemplo, el final four del 2024 tuvo un impacto económico de más de 4040 millones de dólares. Gracias en parte a su gran centro de convenciones. El reporte también hizo a San Antonio. El siguiente año, el Alamodon va a tener conciertos con más de nueve mil cien 91 mil cien fans. El presupuesto a través de fundamental is 84.6 million de dollars. Aquí is when we inverted this dinero. 64 million or three quarters of the operations diarrhea of the Alamodome and the Central Conventions. 2.9 million vanio paraying the new negotiations of conventions. 1.5 general apoy in the central Carver, 2.7 million is the participation and the program of the reembols of the State and 12.8 million ayuda the project capital, talking about the Alamo 2000 centre conventions. Desde 2018, the ingress have 18.8 million of dollars or 57% because the Alamodome to 121 events. In the ultimate años, we start preparing for the necessities of the larger places of installations. For now, 8.1 million are apartados for the año fiscal 2027 and 6.1 for the año fiscal 2028 for necessary critics of the Alamo Dome. Ahora el Centro de Conventions presenta un reto differente. Está operando a su capacidad máxima, limitando nuestra capacidad de accomodar juntas anders additionales. Cities in competencia como Austin, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth están gastando más de 7 billones de dollars para aumentar, mejorar sus installations. La competencia para los negocios in group tiene muchas competencias because ellos gastan más y se quedan más tempo. También buscan hotelería. Mario de San Antonio va a hablar acerca de la transformación del Centro San Antonio de Conventions that ya está impactando nuestras contrataciones futuras. Al ver la competitividad depends of participation and the adoption, an extension of contrast of 10 años in San Antonio and the contrary for the district of measurements. Brenda Hicks Hicks will actually con el maestro del stay during the session of the month. But let me pass the palabra Christopher Jones, but my personal that is in the officer, gracias for support. Gracias por las horas larguas to preparation.
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