This Week in San Antonio: Spurs, Sprawl, and Stories That Heal

Photography by Jana Cantua

As September unfolds, San Antonio feels in transition—shifting in pace, focus, and conversation. This week, we’re tracing ideas that shape how we move, through neighborhoods, through art and performance as ways of processing life, and through civic debates.

Amy Stengel, Technical Theatre and Design Teacher and Director at ALA and CAST Tech, shares a powerful piece on what happens when students turn fear into art, showing how creative performance can become a tool for healing. David Morin, Partner at MNO Partners, challenges the logic of sprawl in Paved Over, inviting us to rethink our car-centered habits and focus on building a more walkable, livable San Antonio.

And The Urban Nerd, Lorenzo Gomez III, returns with The Billion Dollar Question: Who Really Pays for the Spurs Arena? (It’s Not Your Pothole Fund.), the latest in his Project Marvel series. With clarity and context, he breaks down how the arena is being funded and explains why local taxpayers aren't picking up the tab.

At Voice of San Antonio, we dig deeper than the surface narratives. We ask what’s really happening underneath, and who stands to benefit when the city decides to grow, invest, or change course.

Let’s get into it…

Three Years of Fear: When Students Turn Stories Into Healing

ARTS & CULTURE | Amy Stengel

A memoir of fear and healing became a student-written play, showing San Antonio teens the power of letters, love, and resilience.

https://voiceofsanantonio.com/three-years-of-fear-when-students-turn-stories-into-healing/

Paved Over: Rethinking San Antonio's Sprawl

CITY PLANNING | David Morin

Part 1 of a series exploring reclaiming our streets, restoring community, and building a city worth walking.

https://voiceofsanantonio.com/paved-over-rethinking-san-antonios-sprawl/

The Billion Dollar Question: Who Really Pays for the Spurs Arena? 
(It’s Not Your Pothole Fund.)

THE URBAN NERD | Lorenzo Gomez III

Locals aren’t paying for the Spurs arena—tourists, hotel stays, and the Spurs’ $1B+ investment foot the bill.

voiceofsanantonio.com/the-billion-dollar-question-who-really-pays-for-the-spurs-arena

BINGE THE URBAN NERD’S PROJECT MARVEL SERIES:

The Marvel Garble: San Antonio’s Perfect Storm of Confusion

Confused about Project Marvel? You're not alone. The Urban Nerd breaks down San Antonio’s tangled sports district plans, and why it matters to you.

voiceofsanantonio.com/the-marvel-garble-san-antonios-perfect-storm-of-confusion

Not One Project. Not a New District. Not Just for the Spurs.

Inside the San Antonio Sports and Entertainment District: Seven projects, not one arena, driving a bold new vision for downtown.

voiceofsanantonio.com/not-one-project-not-a-new-district-not-just-for-the-spurs

Divorcing the Sports District from the City’s Deficit

San Antonio’s Sports District isn’t draining the city budget. Here’s what’s really behind the friction at City Hall and why the facts matter.

voiceofsanantonio.com/divorcing-the-sports-district-from-the-citys-deficit

The Billion Dollar Question: Who Really Pays for the Spurs Arena? (It’s Not Your Pothole Fund.)

Locals aren’t paying for the Spurs arena—tourists, hotel stays, and the Spurs’ $1B+ investment foot the bill.

voiceofsanantonio.com/the-billion-dollar-question-who-really-pays-for-the-spurs-arena

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