San Antonio council approves district study and program manager contracts amid calls for more transparency and local hiring

The San Antonio City Council approved two contracts on May 7 that move the proposed downtown Sports & Entertainment District toward its next steps: a $350,000 contract for a district cost‑of‑services study and an up‑to‑$6 million, phased executive program manager agreement.

The study contract, recommended for award to Municap (with eConsult Solutions as a subcontractor), will produce a scalable cost‑of‑services model, revenue forecasts for non‑bond revenues (including granular sales‑tax projections) and identify potential new revenue opportunities. City staff said the firm would deliver preliminary results in roughly 10 weeks.

Why it matters: council members said the study will help the city estimate recurring operating costs — police, traffic control, maintenance — across a range of activation scenarios so the city can better apportion costs to events and users rather than the general fund.

City staff recommended Accenture Infrastructure and Capital Projects, LLC as the city’s executive program manager (EPM) for the district. The EPM contract is structured as a capacity‑style engagement: phase 1 funds up to $6 million for staff and program setup through March 2027, with a five‑year base term and five one‑year extension options. Staff said the EPM will set program governance, build internal and public dashboards, coordinate procurement and sequencing across projects, and help align the city’s work with private partners including the Spurs.

Council discussion and public input: public commenters — including the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce — asked for stronger small‑business participation goals than the 14% target in the Accenture proposal and for clearer public reporting on local utilization. Several council members pushed for a public‑facing dashboard and for ensuring Accenture’s role would not preclude local firms from later contracts. Council members also asked for clearer termination provisions and assurances that the EPM cannot bid on construction work it will oversee.

Council members’ positions were mixed but ultimately supportive: Councilwoman Villagran, chair of the audit committee, defended the competitive evaluation and recommended awards. Councilman McKee Rodriguez expressed concern about reliance on a single top‑ranked firm but voted to approve while stressing monitoring and termination rights. Staff said the contract includes typical termination‑for‑convenience language and additional remedies for cure when performance issues arise.

What happens next: staff said Municap will begin work immediately and deliver a preliminary report in late July or August. The EPM team will work on immediate program controls and a public dashboard intended to go live in 60–90 days and be iteratively expanded. Council approved both contracts in separate votes during the May 7 meeting.

Quotes: “I trust implicitly Troy and Ben and their teams in doing the best deal,” Councilwoman Villagran said during debate, urging the council to balance scrutiny with moving forward. Ben, city staff lead on the presentations, told the council the study’s contingency is intended to allow updates to the model as assumptions about retail, activation and phasing evolve.

Next steps: staff will deliver the study’s preliminary results in the summer and return with dashboard updates and policy conversations about how identified new revenues would be implemented.