Bexar County reached a deal with the Spurs Friday to
share profits at the team's proposed arena, according to
Cary Cardwell of the SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, who wrote
that the county "hopes" to win voter support with its
"tough" stance with the team. The agreement calls for the
county to get 20% of profits after $4.75M per year from non-
Spurs events at the arena, which will be built and operated
by a Spurs subsidiary, Spurs Arena Management. The county
will also receive 20% of naming-rights revenue after $1.875M
per year throughout the duration of a 25-year lease. Other
key concessions "won by the county" include the team
agreeing to pay for all on-site infrastructure costs and
environmental cleanup. Overall, the Spurs will "contribute"
$28.5M to build the arena, while voters "will decide" on
November 2 whether to raise the county's hotel-occupancy and
rental car taxes, which would account for $146.5M (EXPRESS-
NEWS, 10/10). A final agreement between the county and the
Spurs and SALE on the proposed arena "is expected to be
announced today" (S.A. EXPRESS-NEWS, 10/12).
TIM'S CHOICE? Spurs F Tim Duncan, who will be a free
agent after this season, on re-signing with the team: "The
arena is a big part of it. If there is a possibility they're
going to move I don't want to be stuck in a city I don't
want to be in." In Chicago, Sam Smith cites a source as
saying that the Spurs "have told Duncan if the franchise has
to move, [he] can choose the city" (CHIC. TRIBUNE, 10/12).
