SAN ANTONIO – On the eve of the 184th anniversary of the fall of the Alamo, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is firing shots of his own.
In a statement released Thursday, Patrick criticized current plans to redesign and restore the Alamo and surrounding area. Pointing the finger at the General Land Office, led by Commissioner George P. Bush, Patrick said the project is “badly off track.”
“If the General Land Office cannot handle this important job, and to date it does not appear it can, I will recommend we identify another entity to provide oversight,” Patrick said.
A request for comment to the GLO was not returned before air time Thursday.
The Alamo Master Plan has several components, including the restoration of the Church and Long Barracks, showing the historic footprint of the site and creating a visitors center.
Patrick criticized designs he said he had seen for the plaza and opposed the controversial, planned relocation of the Cenotaph. Current plans would place the monument — which was commissioned in 1936 and bears the names of fallen Alamo defenders — several hundred feet south around where the bandstand currently sits.
“In the Republican Primary on Tuesday, nearly 98% of voters supported Proposition 7, which would prohibit the removal of historic monuments in Texas, including the Cenotaph. This issue now seems to be settled,” Patrick said.
District 1 Councilman Roberto Trevino, whose district includes Alamo Plaza and who supports its redesign, said the entire plan went through a vigorous and transparent process.
“It’s been five years in the making,” Trevino said. “This is something where we included many experts to tackle an incredibly complex project. The effort is something that I think we can all be very proud of, and I personally feel very, very strongly about the momentum on the project. This is a good thing for San Antonio and for Texas.”
The Texas Historical Commission will meet on Mar. 24-25 and will discuss authorizing the dismantling, restoration and relocation of the Cenotaph.