Based upon what we have learned so far about the City’s secretive property acquisitions and the expansion of the “Convention Center Master Plan,” we are starting to think the City plans to build an Arena within the blue oval indicated on our map.
Although such a project would not extend into the former Arena Footprint, it would destroy the historic buildings at 217-219, 311, and 315 W. Overland Avenue, ruining any possibility of establishing a heritage corridor that would showcase the Mansion, Leahy, and Chinese Laundry buildings on the south side of the street.
If this is the plan, the City would need to come up with more than $500 million, which can only mean a huge general obligation bond, since we doubt the Mayor and City Council would have the courage to issue hundreds of millions in certificates of obligation without voter authorization.
Of course, this also means that the Abraham Chavez Theatre, a valuable municipal asset, would be demolished and W. San Antonio Avenue would be closed between Leon St. and Santa Fe St.
For our sake, we hope we are wrong.