SAN ANTONIO – Spurs Sports and Entertainment broke ground Thursday morning on its new 45-acre development on the far Northwest Side that will feature a state-of-the-art training facility for the Spurs, medical and research offices, retail, park and community space. Here are five things to know about the new campus.
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1. Official campus name unveiled
SS&E unveiled the official name of its human performance campus during the ceremony to mark the start of construction. The multi-phase $500 million legacy project is named “The Rock at La Cantera.”
The campus name is inspired by a longtime ethos used by the Spurs and comes from a quote by famed social reformer Jacob Riis, equating someone’s work ethic to “hammering away at (a)rock.”
Spurs officials say the concept of pounding the rock defines the Spurs success as a commitment to daily incremental improvements on-and-off the court.
2. What’s planned for “The Rock at La Cantera”
SS&E officials say the site will feature a human performance research center, 22-acre park, state-of-the-art Spurs performance center, public outdoor event plaza and space for medical, hospitality and office use.
Construction on Phase 1 will include the Spurs performance center or training facility. The Spurs current practice facility is located off Huebner Road.
That will be followed with the outdoor plaza and then work will then begin on what officials are calling the heart of the campus -- the human performance research center.
3. What is the human performance center
Officials say the center will be multi-faceted and include all aspects of human performance.
Research will focus on skills development, coaching, nutrition, psychological and neurological health and medicine as pertains to injury and performance.
4. Community Impact and largest dog park in San Antonio
The Rock at La Cantera reinforces the Spurs and SS&E’s long-term commitment to the community and the growth and development of San Antonio.
The project is expected to house businesses and research facilities. In addition to over 500,000 square feet of building space, the campus will feature two public outdoor spaces.
A 22-acre park will include the largest dog park in San Antonio, while providing a trailhead that offers easy access to the Leon Creek and Salado Creek Greenways.
The outdoor event plaza can be utilized for a wide range of programming and community gatherings and events. Spurs officials expect there could be more than 1,700 potential full-time employees at the site.
5. How will “The Rock at La Cantera” be funded
The Spurs organization estimated that nearly $511 million would be invested in the project over five years. Spurs officials have previously told KSAT the project will be primarily funded by private investors.
The City of San Antonio and Bexar County are offering SS&E $32 million in incentives to build the campus.
County commissioners agreed to commit $15 million to the project. In return, the county gets the park land, which the Spurs will maintain and operate -- similar to their agreements for the AT&T Center or Toyota Field.
The San Antonio City Council voted to provide up to $17 million in tax rebates for the project.
The Spurs would still pay property taxes under the deal, but it would get back 60% of the city’s share of the tax bill for real property improvements. The rebates would last for up to 23 years or until the $17 million cap is reached.