[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6479200,"mediaKeyId","5706744-bcd1b901da565514e1b52f6de7554af3","parentId",5706744,"title","Visit San Antonio presents FY2026 strategic plan, emphasizes group bookings and regional visitors","audioSeconds",791,"startMs",2588695,"endMs",3380299,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5706744-bcd1b901da565514e1b52f6de7554af3&start=2588&end=3380","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5706744-bcd1b901da565514e1b52f6de7554af3/thumbnail_2588695.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6479200/San-Antonio/Bexar-County/Texas/Visit-San-Antonio-presents-FY2026-strategic-plan-emphasizes-group-bookings-and-regional-visitors","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6479200-16410db5b8c9b909b23cfb53d4721a4b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394630&Signature=mpBHoHwZgCcZkMMDX4hvXgY3eXMl7-it-~Fq6Q5lOi20Q3HtwJp23DVStPxM6ZXIVOtC6NDo4Hv757ULHKkpfTvcCBhVd2JGHMv2I71oJuqWCEjOkB7Fj6MyjRO25ucyjhu8cMAv3mq1Q2rQmz7ehKIGRhkxUFpzW~zFRkGPBci1aeCqjYWFdGqYxFpfR4tcmlGhXxsKWqEkHSZcbCm4TEP8FQqsHbE3eg9sFXDbMf2i8zBjjNNkffh5qekhvSJDsijD6y6u2~LQkI168tbFp5SsHaoCYf3bsjd7dXypxeDSNIq9C~Cw4u0PLLrivBZH6LZglV1CyCPW7Z-VA-U40A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","San Antonio","date","2025-09-02T00:00:00Z","article","Mario Bass, representing Business San Antonio / Visit San Antonio, told council the organization’s mission: “to bring the world to San Antonio,” and presented an overview of visitation, bookings and economic impact figures tied to the FY2026 strategy.

Bass said total visitation reached about 39 million in 2024 and that group business (meetings and conventions) is critical because meeting attendees book years in advance and spend more per trip. He noted that San Antonio’s tourism and hospitality industry produced a $21.5 billion economic impact in 2023 according to an independent study commissioned by the San Antonio Visitors Alliance and produced by Trinity University researchers.

Visit San Antonio presented a booking-pace chart showing group room-night pace steady through 2029 but a potential reversal in 2030–2032 as competing Texas cities bring new convention capacity online. Bass said Visit San Antonio is working to defend market share by recruiting groups, capturing relocated groups from competitors rebuilding their centers and sustaining marketing campaigns that drive both regional leisure and group demand.

Bass said Visit San Antonio reported $1.4 billion generated in 2024 from their sales, marketing and PR efforts and that the organization’s FY2024 budget produces an estimated $33 in economic return for every $1 invested (the presenter described that ratio as total destination economic impact divided by the organization’s budget). He said the organization has 912 members that include hotels and other tourism-related businesses and noted the local film rebate of 7.5% that the city offers in addition to a new multi-year state film incentive that is increasing interest from productions.

Council members asked for more detailed data: Mayor Jones and others requested the analysis and assumptions behind the competitiveness claims and the $33 return figure; several council members also asked for breakdowns of visitation by origin (regional counties, Texas cities, Mexico) and for metrics that would show where Visit San Antonio’s marketing drives visitation inside the city beyond the downtown core.

Bass and Visit San Antonio staff offered to provide follow-up materials, including the full Trinity economic-impact report when released in November and more detailed booking and visitor-origin breakdowns.

Ending: Visit San Antonio committed to follow up with the board-approved KPIs, booking-pace data and supplementary analyses on visitor origins and marketing reach requested by council.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","San Antonio - City Council Budget Work Session Sep 02, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Mario Bass presented Business San Antonio / Visit San Antonio’s FY2026 strategic plan and budget priorities, stressing the importance of group bookings and the need to defend market share as other Texas cities expand convention capacity.","taxTitle","San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas","taxId",2771,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6479202,"San Antonio arts department outlines grants, public art and film incentive plans in FY2026 budget presentation",1253,1311965,2565885,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5706744-bcd1b901da565514e1b52f6de7554af3&start=1311&end=2565","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5706744-bcd1b901da565514e1b52f6de7554af3/thumbnail_1311965.jpg","/articles/6479202/San-Antonio/Bexar-County/Texas/San-Antonio-arts-department-outlines-grants-public-art-and-film-incentive-plans-in-FY2026-budget-presentation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6479202-0f1c554b7d5fca9fb994a4195d6cb3a0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394630&Signature=CFeY-BA6k5~~1XxaRpHEcdzGfcMTfZn-O6dVm37vECpanXmVYZS3V-7Py27TX5wNfN02NT2l8DtZEfA0IZDV9HAk1rQZrwqfSjIfQjvVL4ZrdCCwK4wkMJbsuSE7YPNa~9uCS1kLGZCTXZSsLP~EBJq4dGf-g~rucfgB5kZyio7w2NBBYgSepJNmV7anprjFNx~cFTBBQohWRwdlclhP6GiW04SeJ6dkEHxcBRSXu8GA4-igbiO6A~SrpGXTUkLdePx1WmRIBpr1PhjhHkM9SceAUb0B3G0XNIIZXNTYgRC3U-Inpy1qWNE~tRAmP0aC-msu61Y0bs-dUM55-q77qw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Crystal Jones, director of the City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture, told the council the arts sector “is not just a cultural amenity. They are a vital part of San Antonio's identity, economy, and community well-being.”

Jones presented the department’s FY2026 proposal, which the department describes as a continuation of an investment strategy for San Antonio’s creative economy. She said the proposed FY2026 allocations include about $13.5 million from the hotel-occupancy tax (HOT) and $500,000 from the general fund to maintain the city's public art collection.

Under the proposal, Arts and Culture would fund grants and programs as follows: approximately $6.2 million for operational grants to 41 nonprofits; $874,000 set aside for later allocation; $158,000 for 25 community events; and artist grants for 54 artists totaling roughly $495,000 (individual awards of $7,500 or $15,000 depending on project complexity). Jones emphasized the grants support programming delivery (venues, presentations and partner nonprofits), not direct personal cash payments.

On public art, Jones said 2026 marks 30 years of the city’s public-art program. The department plans seven public-art dedications in four council districts in 2026 and listed about 50 public-art projects active through 2028, including eight pieces that incorporate shading elements and 22 maintenance projects to preserve older works.

Jones highlighted increased state film incentives and local work the city intends to pursue: she cited recent state action to extend film incentive funding over a multi-year period, noted Visit San Antonio’s local 7.5% rebate for qualified local expenditures, and said the department will bring a recommendation this fall to refresh the local film incentive with potential workforce-development requirements for productions that receive incentives.

Council members asked for follow-up data, including district-level breakdowns of HOT-funded arts programming, economic-impact measures for grantee programming, and confirmation of where department workshops and artist-development events are held. Jones said the department can provide program counts and attendee information by district, and that the artist registry at sa.gov/arts is open to artists of any age.

Ending: Councilmembers generally praised the department and asked staff for follow-up on district-level allocation data, maintenance needs for public art and proposed changes to the local film incentive; the department agreed to provide that information.","The Department of Arts and Culture presented a flat FY2026 budget with $13.5 million from the hotel-occupancy tax, outlined grant allocations to nonprofits and artists, public-art projects and proposed changes to the local film incentive tied to workforce development.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6479206,"San Antonio officials outline hotel-occupancy tax revenue, convention center and Alamodome budget needs",1218,68711,1287045,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5706744-bcd1b901da565514e1b52f6de7554af3&start=68&end=1287","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5706744-bcd1b901da565514e1b52f6de7554af3/thumbnail_68711.jpg","/articles/6479206/San-Antonio/Bexar-County/Texas/San-Antonio-officials-outline-hotel-occupancy-tax-revenue-convention-center-and-Alamodome-budget-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6479206-fc2ed02e45daef32913f04440ba88fbd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394630&Signature=nM0E91YyaZXpVql~pBQ5MqT472JT2sNO2eaStjul3V9~w0LumK6ZNnHdkampyzfMU1VVB3TMzzsiUMKPPT8M2dhMa0-SvmBmBNoiDP7BJBLNf3NJ4l6Xo1x~9O3L50umobOpN-H-gKKHLtFxGxUw2EP8ZFTkVdlL7SoscsFsqancnN-4IzSYKYrRb54LA7DQzaaNlXYb8c1kLCRGa6MIzdpUxxXo3dhn3I-ankaPuGnGwXPDE9PhkN7nFVGs9aCEjnR5rtZasLLzz1J8wVSMR4zyCwJ18QUN4hBGj0VochuWD7d-dkgjQz6k2oG~Nqb74MsACxTzY8UxMGsn8tVnfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Justina Tate, the city’s budget director, told the City Council on Sept. 2 that the city’s hotel occupancy tax (HOT) rate is 16.75% and that “the city receives 9%.”

Tate said the city expects HOT collections to rise about 6.4% in fiscal 2025 compared with 2024 and to rise about 2.8% in fiscal 2026, driven in part by increased collection from short-term rentals coming into compliance and a modest rise in average daily room rates.

Patricia M. Quis Cantor, director of the Convention and Sports Facilities Department, presented the department’s proposed FY2026 budget and a multi-year picture of facility use. Quis Cantor said the Henry B. González Convention Center and the Alamodome are operating near practical capacity and argued the city must invest now to remain competitive with other Texas cities that are expanding or rebuilding their convention facilities.

\"Investment isn't just important. We believe it's urgent,\" Quis Cantor said.

The department proposed a total facilities budget of about $91.9 million for FY2026. That package includes approximately $23.3 million in capital improvement projects for the convention center and Alamodome—about $20 million for the convention center and $3.3 million for the Alamodome—and an estimated $11.5 million transfer from the HOT fund to support operations.

Quis Cantor walked council through planned capital projects she described as already started or underway: elevator and escalator replacement in the older portion of the convention center ($8.3 million), HVAC renovations ($3.9 million), West Building Park entrance remodel ($2.1 million), fire-panel and plumbing work, carpet replacement and restroom renovations, and a set of Alamodome projects including warehouse and arena floor box replacements and catering equipment upgrades. She said many of the projects are necessary to address original infrastructure and maintenance needs.

Quis Cantor also described revenue changes and fee proposals: the department recommends a 3% increase in facility rental fees at the convention center, a per-ticket fee increase at the Lila Cockrell Theatre (presented in the slide deck as increasing from a $1–$2 band to a $3–$5 band per ticket), and a $2-per-ticket Ticketmaster buyout fee for certain large sporting competitions that would allow events to use alternative ticketing during need periods.

Council members asked for more data to justify expansion and capital urgency. Mayor Jones and several council members requested follow-up materials showing the evidence that specific investments would make San Antonio competitive against other Texas cities with larger redevelopment plans. Council members also asked the department to provide written detail on which capital projects could be deferred and what the trade-offs would be.

The presentations were information and Q&A only; council did not take any formal votes on the items during the session.

Quis Cantor closed by stressing the economic role of the facilities and the risk of falling behind competitors if investments are not timed to match booking windows for large conventions.

Ending: Councilmembers asked staff for follow-up analyses on HOT allocations, the timing and urgency of the $23.3 million in capital projects, the breakdown of the convention/Alamodome budget items, and the share of hotel room nights attributable to convention business; the department committed to providing written responses.","City budget staff and the Convention and Sports Facilities Department presented projections for hotel-occupancy-tax revenue and a proposed FY2026 budget that includes $23.3 million in capital projects for the Henry B. González Convention Center and the Alamodome and a planned $11.5 million HOT transfer to the facilities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Visit San Antonio presents FY2026 strategic plan, emphasizes group bookings and regional visitors

San Antonio arts department outlines grants, public art and film incentive plans in FY2026 budget presentation

San Antonio officials outline hotel-occupancy tax revenue, convention center and Alamodome budget needs