SAN ANTONIO – Ideas that can change the shape of a city as large as San Antonio are rarely made public out of thin air. They typically begin with a discussion, or a series of discussions, before seeing the light of day.

In the nine months since the City of San Antonio’s plans to reshape downtown became public knowledge, some questions — such as “What would be new?” and “What would be renewed?” — have been answered. Other questions — such as “How will it be paid for?” — remain unclear.

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How the city’s private discussions first became public

In September 2024, through an open records request, KSAT 12 first reported on previously top-secret discussions held between the City of San Antonio and real estate and consulting firms, about “exploring the development of a sports and entertainment district.”

What KSAT also found in those 2023 records is the first mention of an estimated price tag for the potential sports and entertainment district.

Records show City of San Antonio Assistant City Manager Lori Houston emailed the real estate and consulting firms that the city was “in the feasibility phase for a $3-4 billion sports and entertainment district.”

Houston later emailed those companies a series of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). In the NDAs, which KSAT also obtained in September 2024, the informal name of the plan was referenced for the first time: Project Marvel.

The City of San Antonio presented the conceptual plans for a new sports and entertainment district centered around Hemisfair in downtown San Antonio on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. Renderings are for illustrative purposes and don’t show the final design. (Images by Populous for City of San Antonio)

What makes up Project Marvel?

The district, which has been proposed to revamp the Hemisfair portion of downtown, would include:

a new San Antonio Spurs arena

expanding the Henry B. González Convention Center

renovating the John H. Wood Jr. Federal Courthouse into an events venue

upgrading to the 32-year-old Alamodome

building a land bridge over Interstate 37 connecting the western part of the district to the Alamodome

private development

Some initial hurdles needed to be cleared before other larger ones could be addressed down the line. One of those hurdles included the 163,000-square-foot U.S. General Services Administration building in the southeastern quadrant of Hemisfair.

Earlier this year, the GSA building was put up for sale.

Another hurdle was the Institute of Texan Cultures building, along César E. Chávez Boulevard near I-37, located in the heart of Hemisfair.

The 67-year-old building was owned by the University of Texas at San Antonio. In October 2024, the Conservation Society of San Antonio petitioned for the Texas Historical Commission to designate the ITC building as a State Antiquities Landmark (SAL). The designation meant that the building can’t be altered or demolished without the commission’s approval.

In November 2024, the city released its first conception of what Project Marvel could look like when it reaches the finish line.

In December 2024, UTSA received approval from the commission to tear down the ITC building. In the meantime, everything inside the former ITC structure was relocated to the Frost Tower.

Despite the Conservation Society of San Antonio’s initial objection and successive lawsuits to pause and prevent demolition, organization president Lewis Vetter admitted there was not more it could do.

“Even if we were to succeed in our appeal, there is little left to save,” Vetter said in a May 16 statement to KSAT. “It is already gone.”

Demolition of the facility began in April 2025. In June 2025, KSAT shot drone video of the ongoing demolition at the ITC building.

Reaching an ‘understanding’

The Spurs currently call the Frost Bank Center, which opened in 2002, home. The team’s lease at the Bexar County-owned arena expires in 2032.

After San Antonio city council members OK’d the start of negotiations in February, the city, team and county entered into an agreement in April 2025 (described as a “memorandum of understanding”) that expressed their shared effort to bring Project Marvel to completion.

“This agreement to pursue a downtown sports and entertainment district that includes the Spurs represents a shared commitment to the future of our community,” San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in a statement announcing the partnership.

“I am happy that we have worked together to finalize this MOU. We are looking forward to a potential November venue tax election to allow voters to voice their opinion on the new Spurs arena, which is the only component of Project Marvel involving Bexar County,” Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai said in the news release.

Spurs CEO RC Buford called it an “exciting project” to boost the economy and “position San Antonio for long-term success.”

“This process allows us to purposefully evaluate how an arena in the heart of a thriving entertainment district can drive new economic opportunities, local business growth and increased tourism revenue, all of which benefit our entire region,” Buford said in a statement, in part.

Paying for Project Marvel

The proposed Spurs arena, considered the center of the new district, would likely be the most expensive piece of the puzzle, but several other pieces could cost in the nine or 10-figure plateau, as well. Below are estimates from the City of San Antonio:

new Spurs arena (between $1.2 billion and $1.5 billion )

Henry B. González Convention Center expansion (between $700 million and $900 million )

adjacent hotel to the convention center (at least $750 million )

John H. Wood Jr. Federal Courthouse’s renovation into an events venue (between $100 million and $150 million)

The four known projected price tags top out at approximately $3.3 billion, but how much Alamodome upgrades and a land bridge across Interstate 37 would cost is unclear.

How everything would be paid for has not been hammered out completely and is somewhat convoluted.

In May 2025, San Antonio City Council voted to create a new Project Financing Zone (PFZ), but it is unclear what role it will play in the overall funding of a Spurs arena at Hemisfair.

A PFZ was first created in December 2023 to help fund improvements to the Henry B. González Convention Center and the Alamodome.

The state comptroller’s office previously estimated a PFZ around the convention center could bring in nearly $2.5 billion over 30 years. City staff are also working on an updated projection, but they expect their more conservative forecast will likely be closer to around $2 billion.

The money wouldn’t be just for the arena. City Manager Erik Walsh previously said the convention center is the “first priority,” while the Alamodome improvements are “down the road.”

“I will tell you this: we are not going to pay for an arena using property tax — residential property tax,” Nirenberg said during a June 3, 2025, Q&A session during KSAT’s 6 O’Clock News. “That’s not on the table. It wouldn’t be on the table. There are other ways to do this through, you know, visitor and business revenues that are generated from the business that would not be there unless the Spurs were to come downtown.”

The city’s larger vision for funding a new Spurs arena revolves around five possible streams of public and private dollars:

PFZ: This would allow the city to capture a share of hotel-related, state tax dollars over 30 years from within three miles of a “Convention Center Complex.” The city can then spend the money on projects within that complex: the expansion of the Henry B. González Convention Center, improving the Alamodome and building a new Spurs arena.

TIRZ : Similar to a PFZ, a “tax increment reinvestment zone (TIRZ)” sets aside new, city property tax revenue from development or higher values within a specific area. The money is then used to fund more projects within that same area. The proposed stadium sits in the city’s : Similar to a PFZ, a “tax increment reinvestment zone (TIRZ)” sets aside new, city property tax revenue from development or higher values within a specific area. The money is then used to fund more projects within that same area. The proposed stadium sits in the city’s Hemisfair TIRZ , where the Spurs are looking to bring on a developer partner. City staff said they’ll be looking for guarantees from the developer on the revenue from their projects.

Venue Tax: A Bexar County tax on hotel stays and car rentals that was used to fund the Spurs’ current home, the now-Frost Bank Center. Sakai, though, has said the county needs to use the tax to keep up its own facilities before helping the Spurs build a new home.

Leases: These would include the Spurs leasing the new arena, but also private developers leasing nearby land for their projects.

Spurs: Private money from the team, which Private money from the team, which Forbes values at $3.85 billion.

Where Project Marvel currently stands

What remains a concern is how the new district would directly impact residents in the Lavaca neighborhood, which is located south of Hemisfair. Some appear to have mixed feelings about it.

Aside from the new facilities and projected upgrades, the city said nearby infrastructure upgrades are also needed.

During a June 4, 2025, briefing, a potential $220 million to $250 million bond that residents could vote on would fund a variety of projects over the next five years:

Traffic signal improvements

Expansion or addition of highway ramps

A 2,500-space parking garage at the Alamodome

A pedestrian bridge across Interstate 37

Upgrades to César E. Chávez Boulevard

Enhancements to traffic flow at the I-37/César E. Chávez Boulevard intersection

The presentation included another 10 years of infrastructure work, but no price tag was attached.

“We know that we have needs for upgraded infrastructure. We know we need better parking. We need better transit in downtown San Antonio,” Nirenberg told reporters after the June 4, 2025, meeting. “So, all of that needs to happen. I’m confident that voters and future elected officials will see the wisdom in moving forward with all of this.”

A citywide vote on the proposed bond could happen as soon as November, but it would be up to the incoming City Council to call an election by Aug. 18, 2025.

More recent Project Marvel coverage on KSAT:

SAN ANTONIO – Read the latest election and political headlines on the Vote 2025 page.

Downtown is known as the heart of San Antonio, but District 8 is home to many of the city’s happenings. La Cantera, the University of Texas at San Antonio and the Medical Center are all part of the mix.

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For the last eight years, Manny Pelaez has served as the councilman for District 8. But he’s termed out and is now running for mayor.

Six candidates are vying to replace him in City Hall. The election is set for Saturday, May 3. However, if no candidate secures more than 50% of the votes, a runoff will be held on June 7 between the top two contenders.

Whoever wins the District 8 City Council seat will serve four years in office.

Here’s the list of candidates running and their policies, listed in ballot order:

Sakib Shaikh

For the last 25 years, Sakib Shaikh has called San Antonio home. Now, he wants to have a role in shaping the city’s future.

He said he’s lived in and around District 8 for decades. As a UTSA and St. Mary’s University graduate, Shaikh said his career and heart are here in San Antonio.

District 8 is “where my community laid its roots,” Shaikh said. “It originally started because our mosque was here.”

He owns a family-run convenience store and has a real estate license. He previously served as the director of constituent services for District 8 and was a software engineer.

“My background is diverse, and I think that kind of diversity is what you need to be a good council member,” Shaikh said.

Public safety is one of Shaikh’s top priorities this campaign cycle.

“We have about 1,100 (police) officers less than Dallas,” Shaikh said. “While the response time for violent crimes is quite good in San Antonio, the ability to have consistent police presence has been missing.”

Shaikh said that if elected, he would support an increase in funding for the San Antonio Police Department to get “more boots on the ground to make up for attrition, retirement and just the growing population.”

To address the growth District 8 is expected to continue to see, Shaikh said he wants transparency not only with San Antonio city government operations but also with the performance of contractors.

He said in the District 8 office that he would require contractors to put out digital signage for construction projects with three things: the current project phase, the delays expected and an estimated completion date.

As a father of three, Shaikh said community is his priority.

“I know what it feels like to not have a seat at the table and I know what it feels like to not be included in conversations,” Shaikh said. “I will be the candidate that reaches out and makes sure that the Jewish community feels heard. I will make sure that the refugee community feels heard. I will make sure young people feel heard because I know what it feels like to be left out.”

Cesario Garcia

With an estimation that San Antonio’s population will surpass 3 million by 2030, Cesario Garcia said, if elected, he would prioritize safety, transparency and infrastructure as the District 8 councilman.

“I want to make a difference in the city and make a difference in a place I’ve lived in for almost 30 years,” Garcia said.

Garcia’s career history is in film and television production, but right now, he’s focused on expanding his political footing and “bettering San Antonio.”

“I want to see if I can make a difference in a public way,” Garcia said. “It was time for me to consider running for something because I didn’t like the way the city was going.”

He has run for city council before, but this go around, he said he feels stronger with his message and his team.

“We need more core services,” Garcia said. “We need to be stewards not only of the money, but of timing, of having solutions for problems that should not have been created.”

Garcia said he believes in a “small government.” He said San Antonio should be responsible for “safety, security, water and trash.” He advocates for more officers within the SAPD to support the city.

He also wants to be proactive with development and construction projects in District 8.

“District 8 is a sandbox and we have too many things going on in a 5-10-mile radius.”

Part of his platform is also providing more transparency with how the city spends its money.

“I’m here to work for the citizens of this city, to be a steward and to take back our consented authority,” Garcia said.

Cindy Onyekwelu

Cindy Onyekwelu said she’s ready to transition from “behind-the-scenes work to direct involvement in local government.”

“My goal is to give back to the community,” Onyekwelu said.

Onyekwelu has lived in San Antonio for the last six years. She’s a first-generation Nigerian-Mexican American and a software engineer.

If elected, she said she wants to prioritize district-wide ADA compliance. Onyekwelu said she is a regular rider of VIA buses and experiences firsthand the problems in District 8 with traffic and accessibility.

“Since we’re having new construction and development, a lot of it is interfering with the public stops,” Onyekwelu said. “I feel like we can work together to improve that and also find ways that we can encourage more people that use (public transportation) every day, so we can like decrease the amount of traffic.”

Onyekwelu said she’s passionate about economic growth through small business empowerment.

In her career, Onyekwelu said she focuses on finding data-driven solutions.

She’s proposing leveraging the South Texas Medical Center’s resources to create a “collaborative analysis of emergency room reliance by the homeless population” to understand underlying mental health conditions.

Rodney “Rod” Kidd

Transparent and open city management is what Rodney Kidd wants to see out of San Antonio. That’s why he’s running for the District 8 City Council seat.

“The City lacks effective systems for most issues,” Kidd said. “There’s little to no follow-up, no clear solutions, and very little transparency — especially when it comes to property crimes.”

Kidd is an entrepreneur with a background in technology and logistics. He’s been living in San Antonio for just more than a decade.

He said he wants to create a “safer” District 8 through “technology-driven solutions.”

“We need to track not only how many crimes are occurring, but what is being solved,” Kidd said.

He wants more funding for police and fire departments, and he’s also looking to implement “strategic policing.”

Kidd said he decided to run for council to improve communication between the city and the community.

“I don’t think constituent services are being handled properly,” Kidd said. “I feel the office is not being run to support the citizens. It’s not getting them their requests or not being met.”

If elected, he wants to take a proactive approach to construction and traffic concerns through zoning management.

“I think we need to be more thoughtful in what zonings are approved where, when and how,” Kidd said. “All with the understanding of development and history to preserve some of these older neighborhoods.”

Addressing mental health is also a priority for Kidd. He’s advocating for a city and county mental health hospital to increase “accessible” and “affordable treatment.”

“I take action,” Kidd said. “I have done it and helped people continuously.”

Ivalis Meza Gonzalez

Born and raised in San Antonio, Ivalis Meza Gonzalez has always called this city home.

“I am deeply rooted in community,” Meza Gonzalez said. “I want to continue the tradition of strong leadership in District 8.”

She graduated from UTSA and St. Mary’s Law School. Now, she’s raising her family in District 8 and wants to help preserve her community as the new councilwoman, if elected.

“It’s really about protecting everything that we have here,” Meza Gonzalez said. “From our large employers to our small businesses to our university, our neighborhoods, our parks and our medical center.”

Meza Gonzalez worked at the San Antonio River Authority and served as the chief of staff to Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

She said public safety, economic development and improving infrastructure are top issues in District 8.

“It’s about knowing that construction is going to happen in (our residential) area, not waking up to it at your front door and then there’s signs all over the place,” Meza Gonzalez said.

She wants to implement more “traffic-calming mechanisms” in District 8, like speed bumps and stop signs.

Having lived in the district for 15 years, Meza Gonzalez said she’s more than familiar with traffic and congestion problems. That’s why she wants to prioritize District 8 in upcoming bond programs to fund more drainage projects and address infrastructure challenges.

“It’s just about making sure that we grow in a way that works for the residents of District 8,” Meza Gonzalez said. “Especially, making sure that our seniors have resources.”

Prioritizing parks and the people of District 8 is also a priority for Meza Gonzalez.

Paula McGee

Paula McGee said she wants to be “intentional” if elected as the District 8 councilwoman.

“It’s all about planning,” McGee said.

McGee has lived in San Antonio for a little more than 39 years, and she said she’s thought about running for council “for a while.”

“This was a time in my life where I had a little bit of margin, but yet a lifetime of experience and leadership to offer in service to the community,” McGee said.

McGee is a practicing attorney and has served on the San Antonio Zoning Commission, the Ethics Review Board, and the Alamo Colleges Foundation board.

Living in District 8, McGee said she knows public safety and infrastructure are what impact residents the most.

“There are a lot of challenges here because it’s growing so fast,” McGee said. “We have to be very intentional about having conversations and engaging stakeholders.”

Explosive growth is something McGee wants to stay on top of if elected. She wants to address long-overlooked construction projects.

“I wanna get in there and ask a lot of questions about how those (construction) contracts are being overseen,” McGee said. “We have to have construction because we need new infrastructure, but we need to manage it a lot better.”

McGee also wants to build stronger neighborhood relationships with SAFFE officers to address crime.

“We need to be very diligent about our policing,” McGee said.

Transparency is a priority to McGee, and so is economic development.

“I think that one of the very exciting things that is going on in District 8 is this merger between UTSA and UT Health Science Center San Antonio,” McGee said. “That is going to bring so much economic development, not just to this district, but to our city and South Texas as well.”

Early voting is April 22-29. Election Day is Saturday, May 3. For a list of important dates for the May 3 election and potential June 7 runoff, click here.

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More election coverage from KSAT:

Per a Spurs press release:

The San Antonio Spurs issued the following statement as a reaction to the City of San Antonio, Bexar County and San Antonio Spurs signing a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), showing their desire to work collaboratively toward establishing a new downtown Sports and Entertainment District, relocating the San Antonio Spurs to a downtown arena and reimagining the area around the Frost Bank Center.

RC Buford, San Antonio Spurs Chief Executive Officer released this statement:

“We appreciate the partnership between the City and County as we take steps together in exploring a future downtown Spurs arena. This is an exciting project that we believe presents the opportunity to energize our economy, strengthen our community and position San Antonio for long-term success. This process allows us to purposefully evaluate how an arena in the heart of a thriving entertainment district can drive new economic opportunities, local business growth and increased tourism revenue, all of which benefit our entire region. As we move forward, we will continue working closely with local leaders, businesses and the community to explore the best path to responsibly fund and develop a venue that serves all of San Antonio. We are thrilled about the possibilities ahead and look forward to engaging our community in shaping this vision.”

The plan is designed to thrive and includes restaurants, shops, and residential units to modernize the area.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said,

“This agreement to pursue a downtown sports and entertainment district that includes the Spurs represents a shared commitment to the future of our community.”

What do you think, Pounders? The Spurs could be moving into their fourth home.

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SAN ANTONIO – The City of San Antonio, Bexar County and the Spurs signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Friday, taking an important step toward a new Spurs arena and a sports and entertainment district downtown, according to a press release.

The MOU shows the city, county and the Spurs’ desire to accomplish the downtown development while working together, the release stated.

“This agreement to pursue a downtown sports and entertainment district that includes the Spurs represents a shared commitment to the future of our community,” San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said.

The sports and entertainment district also includes restaurants, shops and residential areas in hopes of boosting San Antonio’s economy. The release mentioned that it would be easily accessible for the community.

The news release stated that the sports and entertainment district will include the expansion of the Henry B. González Convention Center, a new convention center hotel, a bridge over Interstate 37 connecting the East Side to downtown, Alamodome improvements, John Wood Courthouse renovations and other developments.

“I am happy that we have worked together to finalize this MOU. We are looking forward to a potential November venue tax election to allow voters to voice their opinion on the new Spurs arena, which is the only component of Project Marvel involving Bexar County,” Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai said.

RC Buford, the CEO of the Spurs, called it an “exciting project” to boost the economy and “position San Antonio for long-term success.

“This process allows us to purposefully evaluate how an arena in the heart of a thriving entertainment district can drive new economic opportunities, local business growth and increased tourism revenue, all of which benefit our entire region,” Buford said in a statement, in part.

Buford added that the team will continue working closely with local leaders, businesses and the community.

The Spurs have played at the Frost Bank Center, formerly the AT&T Center, since 2002. The team’s lease at the arena expires in 2032, according to the release.

BACKGROUND

The new San Antonio Spurs arena could cost $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion, according to a city estimate, but there is still no breakdown of how it will be paid for.

The city has estimated costs for about half the projects in its vision for Project Marvel, including the arena.

The combined price tag currently exceeds $2.75 billion, though the final cost will likely be higher, since several of the listed projects don’t even have cost projections: a “revised” plan for the Alamodome, a new land bridge across IH-37, the acquisition of a former federal courthouse, and the related infrastructure needed to support the district.

Early projected costs of Project Marvel components listed over a rendering of the sports and entertainment district (Populous for the City of San Antonio)

City staff have laid out possible funding sources, both public and private, for each portion of the project. However, the exact breakdowns — especially for projects drawing money from multiple places — remain unclear.

A breakdown of proposed funding sources for Project Marvel projects (City of San Antonio)

The city and Spurs began quietly discussing a downtown move in early 2023, though the city did not unveil its Project Marvel plans until November 2024.

In February 2025, City Manager Erik Walsh received the greenlight to initiate negotiations with Bexar County and the San Antonio Spurs for the billion-dollar Project Marvel sports and entertainment district.

In addition to the approval, council members and Nirenberg approved an amendment to the original memorandum to allow District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur and District 2 Councilman Jalen Mckee-Rodriguez to join Walsh during negotiations.

The argument for the amendment was centered around the Spurs’ future arena being moved from the East Side to downtown San Antonio, and Kaur and McKee-Rodriguez represent those areas.

On Wednesday, the San Antonio Conservation Society filed a lawsuit against UTSA and the city to halt demolition for a property in Project Marvel’s sights.

UTSA received permission from the Texas Historical Commission to demolish the former Institute of Texan Cultures building, but the conservation society claims that plans have proceeded without a required federal review process.

From Texas Public Radio:

Local chef Jason Dady is leading an effort that will overhaul the food court at the Shops at Rivercenter downtown to honor the culinary history and culture of San Antonio and Mexico.

The new concept, Mexico Ceaty, is expected to open in 2025.

TPR’s Marian Navarro spoke with Dady about his inspiration behind the concept and what he hopes it bring to San Antonio.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

—

Dady: It’s C-E-A-T-Y. When we first were talking about it, people think you’re saying Mexico City, which is obviously the pun and the play on words. But we call it Mexico Ceaty.

So, the idea is that Mexico Ceaty is really kind of like what I’m loosely just calling an emporium of Mexico and San Antonio. You’ll have a standard restaurant, a standalone restaurant 3,500-square-foot Tex-Mex restaurant. Kind of your classic South Texas enchiladas and puffy tacos with great chips and salsa. And that will act and operate as a sit down, full service restaurant.

Then we’ll have what we’re calling Dos Cantinas, which will be a 300-seat bar overlooking the Riverwalk. Dulce Aroma, which is a panaderia bakery serving San Antonio-style breakfast tacos, fresh churros. [A] morning stop with pan dulce and coffee and hot chocolate and kind of everything that we love about Mexican bakeries.

And then you’ll have what we’re calling the Main Plaza, which will have different kiosks throughout the space.

So, you’ll have a place where fresh tortillas are being made. You’ll have kind of classic street tacos — a street taco cart serving just classic mini tacos. You’ll have a burrito stand serving Baja-style burritos — it’s very similar to say Chipotle, right? Where you’re picking your tortilla, your meat, what … you want in your burrito. There’s going to be a kiosk serving aguas frescas and paletas. And then another kiosk that will be serving different ceviches, campechanas and such, from both coasts of Mexico.

Navarro: And in a place like San Antonio, where Mexican culture and heritage and food, specifically, is such a big part of the city. I mean, it’s going to be right at home in San Antonio, right?

Dady: That’s our dream and that’s our goal. You know, what we think is very important is that — I’ve always said for 25 years as a chef and entrepreneur here in San Antonio, is that when you come to San Antonio for the first time, there’s basically three things that you want to do: You want to see the Alamo, you want Mexican food, and you want Texas barbecue, right?

And so, for us being right next to the Alamo, and being able to serve Mexican food, but also really showcase San Antonio, and like you said, the heritage and the culture of our city is incredibly important. But I think the most important part of it is that this space and Mexico Ceaty will allow you to take that home with you. And what I mean by that is we’ll have a very large retail component as well, focusing on local art or food products or chips or sauces or mole paste or chili paste or whatever it might be. Cool earrings, or, heck, if you just want to take home two dozen tamales.

We’re very excited about being able to bring a little bit of all of it together under one roof. And do it with respect and just show our love for the food.

Navarro: This is coming to the Shops at Rivercenter, which is at the heart of downtown San Antonio. The mall itself opened back in the 80s. So, what is the significance of bringing this concept, of bringing that taste of Mexico, to this specific mall and also to this specific area of the city?

Dady: I truly believe wholeheartedly that this project that we’re doing would not work in any other location in San Antonio. We’re at the heart of the River Walk. It’s where most people get on and off of their riverboat rides. We’re right there at the island where you do the turn around to loop back. And so, the visibility and where we are is great. And what we hope is that it gives locals a reason to come back downtown and rediscover the Rivercenter Mall, and its new rebirth.

And there’s a lot of other fun projects going on down there that I think are really going to change the face of what tourists, travelers, business travelers, but locals, get out of downtown San Antonio. Being a part of the transformation of the entire mall, and especially the food offerings down there, is quite an honor. There’s a little bit of pressure involved there. But that’s what kind of drives us to be great.

Navarro: There are new concepts that are popping up all around San Antonio. You’ve seen food courts. You’ve seen things like the Pullman Market at the Pearl. You see kind of the culinary scene in San Antonio, and it’s not just a restaurant that’s popping up here and there — it really is an experience. What do you think this means for San Antonio? What are your thoughts on these new concepts that are coming out throughout the city?

Dady: It’s great for everybody. There’s been a lot of uncertainty in the restaurant community post-COVID. And the restaurant industry is not an easy business. I mean, it’s always hard work. And it takes a lot of passion, dedication, and sacrifice to be great.

I’ve been saying for a long, long time … that San Antonio is just in its infancy of growth. We really are just starting. If you look at kind of where Austin was 20 years ago, there’s a lot of similarities about the growth of Austin, and now the growth of San Antonio.

I think the biggest difference is that [in] San Antonio, we are so fiercely guarding our culture here — which a lot of times people might say, “Oh, San Antonio is so far behind.” I just don’t look at it that way. I think that we’re really protecting something that’s important to us as a city that’ll carry over for the next generations to come.

So, we’re super excited about being downtown and at the Rivercenter Mall because we feel like we can really showcase a little bit of all of that, and give people a reason to love San Antonio even that much more.

Navarro: You obviously have a very large presence in San Antonio and San Antonio’s restaurant scene. You’ve had several restaurants and concepts. [Roca &] Martillo at the Rock, Two Bros. BBQ, Jardin. There’s so much that you’ve seen throughout the years and that you’ve brought to San Antonio. How is this different, and what do you see coming from this in the future as this new concept?

Dady: Number one, we want to [give] people from San Antonio a reason to come downtown and visit and re-experience downtown on the River Walk, because I do think that when you do live here, you kind of lose the idea of what makes downtown special. You take it for granted, maybe. And so I think for us, we really want to make sure that we can give people downtown something to be proud of.

And I think second of all, we want people to take San Antonio home with them. We want you to leave here saying, “We just went to this place called Mexico Ceaty. And it was the coolest all encompassing experience we’ve ever had. Everything from our drinks, to our dinner, to the live music, to the murals.” People that can really go home and spread the word to, you know, wherever they’re from, but they can kind of sing the praises of San Antonio.

What was important for us is that when you come to Mexico Ceaty, you get to see all the aspects. And if you’re only comfortable with crispy beef tacos, you can get that at the Tex-Mex restaurant. If you want to really explore, man, the world’s your oyster, and we’re gonna have a lot of different options that come directly from inspiration from Mexico, but obviously, a certain amount of inspiration from San Antonio.