With all its attributes, San Antonio lags behind other great cities in several ways, including wage levels and transit. But a big missing piece is the kind of urban core density a sports district can deliver.
That’s according to a new study of 75 cities across the U.S. released recently by the Gensler Research Institute that ranked San Antonio high for its welcoming and vibrant qualities but suggested there’s work to do in making downtown a place locals choose to go.
Gensler’s “City Pulse 2026: The Downtown Report” found that while residents in many cities in general love their downtowns, few actually visit the urban core. The exception is cities where major investments in the central business district are changing the game, the study said.
The Gensler Research Institute is a collaborative network within the architecture and design firm Gensler.
The insight comes as San Antonio embarks on plans for Project Marvel, a $1.3 billion new downtown Spurs arena in the heart of a sweeping mixed-use development, and Downtown West, a $160 million Missions ballpark surrounded by towering residential and hospitality developments.
During a recent Urban Land Institute event, San Antonio’s developer community made the case for how both are the kind of investments that will transform the city.
Speaking at the event, Todd Runkle, regional managing principal at Gensler, said that what makes a city successful is how long people stay when they visit.
“If you’re coming downtown to a basketball game or just for dinner, that’s really not what contributes most to a successful city,” he said.
In successful cities, people stay downtown an average of at least three hours per visit, according to the study. And time spent matters more than the number of visits. It’s what the Gensler study coined as “sticky.”
“So, what makes a downtown sticky? What makes people want to stay downtown?” Runkle said.
The answer they found is in parking and mobility, but also destination draws like sports venues and entertainment, such as “flexible, mixed-use facilities that can transform into many different uses, from sports to entertainment to restaurants,” Runkle said.
There are many “fantastic” things happening in San Antonio, he said, pointing to its culture, affordability and industry diversity, and places like the Pearl.
The city needs to build on those strengths, Runkle said. “We need to make wanting to be in downtown San Antonio a habit beyond Spurs games, beyond just occasional dinner, but some place we want to be every weekend throughout the week.”
Drawing comparisons between San Antonio and other cities of similar size, he said this city should continue to diversify by also investing in innovation districts and developing more public-private partnerships, like Pittsburgh has done, and in healthcare like Nashville.
Runkle acknowledged that making a city great is not all about downtown. “It’s about all the suburban markets, too, and the investment in those is equally important,” he said.
But turning downtown from “a destination to a habit,” also was central to a panel discussion that followed Runkle’s talk at ULI.
Moderating the four-person panel, Hemisfair Park CEO Melissa Robinson, asked what one thing each of them would invest their own money in to transform the city or continue the momentum.
“I love sports-anchored mixed-use developments,” Runkle said, adding the Deer District in Milwaukee is a good example of year-round programming that draws people. “I love Project Marvel.”
Mark Jensen, vice president at Weston Urban, the developer behind 300 Main and a planned mixed-use and residential development anchored by a downtown baseball stadium, said he would invest in more varied types of residential property.
“I remain 100% committed to … more super desirable urban housing options … like they need to inspire you to want to live in that environment,” he said.
Ryan Marchesi, design director at Gensler San Antonio, responded to the question by recognizing the growing footprint downtown of UT San Antonio, where he lectures, and its impact on future developments downtown.
Robinson said she would put her money into infrastructure improvements as a means for attracting private development.
An audience member asked the panel how they would convince Bexar County voters that the measure they passed — investing public funds in downtown with a sports and entertainment district — was the right move for the community.
“I think it’s just trying to have a conversation on what’s important to people, and at the same time … just regular [public relations],” Robinson said.
“Also back it up with the economic data,” Runkle said. “We certainly wouldn’t want to propose ‘dream big,’ and then not have any financial basis to make it financially viable.”
