San Antonio Spurs announce ‘dream team’ in $1.3bn arena project but critics warn of major flaw
The San Antonio Spurs are one step closer to getting a new downtown home.
Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E), the parent company of the Spurs, have announced a group of partners to lead key aspects of the NBA team’s new downtown arena and district.
In November, Locals approved a plan to allow officials to commit up to $311 million in venue taxes to help build a new $1.3bn multipurpose arena in San Antonio.
Spurs Ownership announced on Wednesday that they’ve selected nine developers, two of which are San Antonio-based firms.
The list is made up of sports venue developers, architects, engineers, planning and financial advisers and legal counsel.
They include: Marquee Development, Sasaki, Overland International, Pape-Dawson, CAA ICON, Stafford Sports, Goldman Sachs, Hunton Andrews Kurth and Jorge Rodriguez Financial Consulting.
“We are bringing together the right partners to deliver something San Antonio can be proud of,” SS&E CEO RC Buford announced.
“We are combining world-class capabilities with local insight to ensure this project reflects the character of our city and creates meaningful opportunities for our community.”
Leading the pack is CAA Icon, the project management specialist famous for delivering some of sport’s best venues such as the Milwaukee Bucks’ Fiserv Forum.
The design of the actual stadium has been handed to Overland International, while Sasaki will plan the 25-acre district surrounding the venue.
While the announcement has lit the fire for the arena which is set to be completed by 2032, there is one glaring concern critics are pointing out.
Their hiring spree comes as the city has so far spent close to $10 million in consultant contracts, despite not having purchased the land where construction will take place, according to the San Antonio Current.
The hirings came after San Antonio Council pledged to dish out $6.3 million in consulting fees to Accenture Infrastructure, Capital Projects and Municamp for the plan, also known as ‘Project Marvel.’
Under the terms of the deal, the Spurs will contribute $500 million toward the build and are one the hook for any cost overruns.
Victor Wenbanyama emerges as NBA’s next big thing
As the Victor Wenbanyama era continues to transform San Antonio into a global powerhouse, the pressure to deliver a state of the art arena is immense.
Wemby has spent the 2025-26 NBA season proving he is the undisputed future face of the sport.
His impact on the sport has been nothing short of historic, leading the league in blocks for a third consecutive year and maintaining a scoring average of 25 points per game.
It is this unprecedented commercial gravity that is driving the $1.3 billion price tag for the new arena, as the Spurs look to capitalize on a once-in-a-generation talent.
With the Spurs currently locked in a heated Western Conference Semifinal battle against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the demand for a world-class home has never been more urgent.
The organization is acutely aware that they aren’t just building a stadium; they are building a cathedral for a player many believe will retire as the greatest to ever play the game.
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