Nov. 13, 2024 – San Antonio ISD has posted an agenda item for its upcoming Board meeting on November 18 to discuss a proposal to sell or exchange its unimproved property on Camaron Street for a potential new baseball stadium for the Missions minor league baseball team. This proposal is in response to the Missions’ ownership, who approached the District with its request to purchase the Camaron Street land as a prospective stadium site.

The Board will receive public input on this agenda item at its November 18 Board meeting during Citizens to Be Heard. 

“As the November 18 Board meeting approaches, the District looks forward to discussing potential paths forward that align with its commitment to quality education, community well-being, and strategic growth,” said SAISD Board President Christina Martinez.

The proposed staff recommendation the Board will consider includes the following five terms:

• Appoint the SAISD superintendent to a seat on the Houston Street Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ). 

• Fund new construction of a building for the Advanced Learning Academy (ALA). 
The proposed baseball stadium interferes with the District’s prior plans for an ALA expansion at Kingsbury St. and Flores St.

• Provide necessary parking with safe passage to the Fox Tech campus.
Parking is necessary because the Quincy Street parking garage cannot accommodate all Fox Tech campus vehicles. Additionally, the area by the Fox Tech campus already is extremely congested and challenging for parents and students to safely navigate during drop-off and pick-up times.

• Provide $400,000 per year to compensate for the loss of interest that could have been earned by SAISD if SAISD was to have sold the property through a sealed bid process. 

• Guarantee affordable housing in SAISD attendance zones.
Reducing affordable and appropriate housing for families in the urban core contributes to the reduction in the number of school-aged children and works against SAISD’s interests.

District staff also will propose for consideration two alternative recommendations:

• Pursue a sealed bid process to sell District property.

• Pursue eminent domain for ALA expansion.

Next steps
The District’s administration will present the foregoing recommendations to the Board on November 18, 2024, and request Board approval on a recommendation with which to move forward, including authorizing the superintendent to formally notify parties involved.

Background
Initially, the District had no intention to sell the Camaron Street property, which currently is used as essential parking for employees at the District’s central office and the Fox Tech campus. With Fox Tech’s expanding operations, the District is in need of additional land nearby, underscoring its commitment to the area and the ongoing growth of its educational facilities.

However, in the spirit of collaboration, the District’s administration and Board considered the potential for a mutually beneficial solution. They explored a sale of the Camaron Street property in exchange for acquiring land and parking facilities closer to Fox Tech and the central office.

As part of this process, the District engaged in extensive due diligence and listened attentively to input from the community, including families and local stakeholders, who emphasized the importance of preserving affordable housing in the area. 

“This concern is aligned with the district’s long-term vision to sustain and potentially increase student enrollment by ensuring housing options remain affordable and accessible near district schools,” Martinez said. “Student enrollment directly impacts school funding, making the availability of affordable housing a vital factor in the district’s financial health and mission to serve the community.”

The community is welcome to attend the Board meeting on November 18, 2024, and if desired, to sign up in-person prior to the meeting to share their thoughts and concerns during the Citizens to Be Heard portion of the agenda.