Sky View of SBC Center

[Horry For 3!]

I was messing around with Google Earth this program that owns. You can see your house and car and such it is pretty also. If you want to download it you can go to http://earth.google.com/downloads.html.

Well I was messing around with is and saved a view of the SBC Center. I thought everyone might check it out, it is pretty awesome.


http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/248/sbccenter3sz.jpg

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

We just did the same thread - mine's in The Club. :rollin

[Horry For 3!]

:lol Why you gotta think like me? lol

[Horry For 3!]

The Alamodome :)

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/1337/alamodome7ta.jpg

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Nobody was at home at Kori and LJ's place. :lol

[ChumpDumper]

I'm still pissed at the city -- the SBC Center should be in that parking lot south of the dome.

[Benosgirl14]

hmm intresting...Its like a birds eye view

[caspian]

My father was really pissed at the Spurs because he perceived that they finally 'convinced' voters to build the Alamo Dome (after like 2 failed attempts) likening it to "shoving the tax down our throats".

Then, after all of that posturing, it's not good enough for them and the Spurs (and David Robinson) proceed to 'threaten' to leave unless they get yet another arena built (SBC Center).

Is there any truth to this? Can someone relate their perspective on what they believe happened?

[boutons]

I'm already nuts about maps and aerial photography.
Google earth is going be fantastic as people "hack" it for dynamic shit like this and all kinds of other stuff:

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21961

[BadlyDrawnBoy]

Then, after all of that posturing, it's not good enough for them and the Spurs (and David Robinson) proceed to 'threaten' to leave unless they get yet another arena built (SBC Center).

The Spurs nor David Robinson threatened to leave the city if it wasn't built. WTF did you hear that?

Peter said that it would be hard for the Spurs to remain in SA if they didn't get an arena that had more lux. box for season ticket holders.

They needed a smaller arena to play in.

[boutons]

St Croix is good resolution:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/bamboozool2/999_temp/st_croix.jpg

[caspian]

Peter said that it would be hard for the Spurs to remain in SA if they didn't get an arena that had more lux. box for season ticket holders.

They needed a smaller arena to play in.

That actually sounds just like a threat to me...perhaps not a hostile one, but just like one a professional executive would formally make (to the media); especially if it wasn't empty.

Regardless, that misses the point, did the Spurs push ridiculously hard for the Alamo Dome...then abandon it and ask for more?...that's the main bone he's picking.

[angel_luv]

Ahhh! Thanks for the aerial of the SBC Center. Now I know what my dad sees when he looks down from Heaven to check on me! =)

I am going to save this. Thanks a lot! = ) = )

[caspian]

That actually sounds just like a threat to me...perhaps not a hostile one, but just like one a professional executive would formally make (to the media); especially if it wasn't empty.

Regardless, that misses the point, did the Spurs push ridiculously hard for the Alamo Dome...then abandon it and ask for more?...that's the main bone he's picking.

Can someone in the know clear this up for me? I'd personally really, really like know if this is off-base. Otherwise, it will bother me that no one can shed any light on it.

[Horry For 3!]

Ahhh! Thanks for the aerial of the SBC Center. Now I know what my dad sees when he looks down from Heaven to check on me! =)

I am going to save this. Thanks a lot! = ) = )
Your welcome.

[grjr]

Can someone in the know clear this up for me? I'd personally really, really like know if this is off-base. Otherwise, it will bother me that no one can shed any light on it.

As far as I can remember there was no plan mentioned for the Spurs to play in the Alamodome before it was approved by the voters. I don't believe the Spurs campaigned for it at all.

Hemisphere Arena had recently been renovated so the Spurs really didn't need a new place at the time. Once the Alamodome was built and the city figured out there were no tenants for it they probably offered the Spurs a pretty sweet deal to play there. That's just conjecture on my part though.

[AlamoSpursFan]

I'm still pissed at the city -- the SBC Center should be in that parking lot south of the dome.

No. The SBC Center should be in the old quarry off of Thousand Oaks and I-35.

NEISD fucked that one up.

[CosmicCowboy]

My father was really pissed at the Spurs because he perceived that they finally 'convinced' voters to build the Alamo Dome (after like 2 failed attempts) likening it to "shoving the tax down our throats".

Then, after all of that posturing, it's not good enough for them and the Spurs (and David Robinson) proceed to 'threaten' to leave unless they get yet another arena built (SBC Center).

Is there any truth to this? Can someone relate their perspective on what they believe happened?

1) The Alamodome was not built for the Spurs.

2)The Alamodome was originally planned to attract a football/baseball team and be a supplement to the existing convention center facilities.

3) The original site was supposed to be the Victoria Courts area across Durango from Hemisfair. This served a dual purpose of expanding the existing convention facilities west of 37 and getting rid of all the VC project bangers terrorizing the tourists downtown.

4) Political pressure that they were "discriminating" against the poor people in Victoria courts forced them to change the site to across 37 at the Alamo Iron Works property. Because this site was bisected by a railroad track baseball had to be dropped from the plan because the footprint was too small.

5) A "mass transit central bus terminal" was added to the plan to make it more politically acceptable. VIA became the funding vehicle for building it and would eventually own it.

6) when it became obvious that they were not going to get a football team they were faced with having to explain to taxpayers that this huge new structure wasn't going to have a tenant. They practically begged the Spurs to bail them out politically and move in and gave them a very favorable lease. This was before it was even completed and the south stands and curtain became part of the original project.

7) As soon as possible after the Dome was completed the city tore down the Hemisfair Arena so that the Spurs couldn't change their mind and move back.

8) The Alamodome was obviously not a good basketball venue and the Spurs needed a new facility to remain viable in SA. The Spurs never PUBLICLY stated that they would move if they didn't get one, but anyone that was knowledgeable about the NBA knew that was a probable and likely outcome if they didn't get it done.

9) City leadership was spineless and ineffective. They simply couldn't get a deal done to give the Spurs a home downtown.

10) An alternate NE quarry site was proposed but that was killed by NEISD not having the political balls to give them a tax abatement.

11) The county stepped in and came up with a plan to team the Spurs with the Rodeo and build a dual use facility next to Freeman Coliseum. They passed a bond issue financed by hotel and rental car tax revenue to get it done. The SBC Center will be completely paid off in about 9 years and the Spurs will be here forever.

[caspian]

11) The county stepped in and came up with a plan to team the Spurs with the Rodeo and build a dual use facility next to Freeman Coliseum. They passed a bond issue financed by hotel and rental car tax revenue to get it done. The SBC Center will be completely paid off in about 9 years and the Spurs will be here forever.

Perfect...that's exactly the kind of break-down I needed. So, there was some bumbling and posturing, but it was by city leadership, not the Spurs.

Thank you!

[GoSpurs21]

My father was really pissed at the Spurs because he perceived that they finally 'convinced' voters to build the Alamo Dome (after like 2 failed attempts) likening it to "shoving the tax down our throats".

Then, after all of that posturing, it's not good enough for them and the Spurs (and David Robinson) proceed to 'threaten' to leave unless they get yet another arena built (SBC Center).

Is there any truth to this? Can someone relate their perspective on what they believe happened?your dad's an idiot. Cisneros was the one who convinced the SA public that he could bring an NFL team if the Alamodome was built. He then tricked the Spurs into playing a season there. While the Spurs were testing the waters in the Alamodome the fucking sleezy ass city council tore down the Hemisfair.

The Alamodome was built on a 1 cent bus riders tax plus some taxes for hotel rooms and car rentals. The city refused to build an arena for the Spurs, but luckily the county stepped in and the good people of SA overwhelming voted to build the SBC center. It's the city council and mayors fault that it wasnt built downtown.

Once again if you dad thinks anything different he is an idiot that needs to do his research. Sorry if the truth hurts but the uninformed need to be corrected.

[BruceBowenFan]

i just saw my house with that program

[BruceBowenFan]

it's pretty cool

[caspian]

your dad's an idiot. Cisneros was the one who convinced the SA public that he could bring an NFL team if the Alamodome was built. He then tricked the Spurs into playing a season there. While the Spurs were testing the waters in the Alamodome the fucking sleezy ass city council tore down the Hemisfair.

The Alamodome was built on a 1 cent bus riders tax plus some taxes for hotel rooms and car rentals. The city refused to build an arena for the Spurs, but luckily the county stepped in and the good people of SA overwhelming voted to build the SBC center. It's the city council and mayors fault that it wasnt built downtown.

Once again if you dad thinks anything different he is an idiot that needs to do his research. Sorry if the truth hurts but the uninformed need to be corrected.

Dude, I'd lay off calling people idiots (especially their fathers). You don't know what they know, and you don't know what you don't know. You also come across like an asshole who jumps to conclusions without half the information necessary to conclude such a thing. You have no idea and you'd be embarrassed if you did know.

It's a totally superfluous comment anyway. The whole damn point of my questions were to get informed and someone with a lot more objectivity and class has already posted a much more thorough answer. If you didn't notice, I already responded to that. Case closed.

[boutons]

For SA/Bexar county, you might get a little better resolution here:

http://maps.sanantonio.gov/website/COSAMaps/viewer.asp?res=1400&ver=true

It's kinda funky to operate it, but once you get the hang of it, which boxes to check, etc, it very useful.

[samikeyp]

No. The SBC Center should be in the old quarry off of Thousand Oaks and I-35.

NEISD fucked that one up.

Amen. I thought it was funny when they said they couldn't approve the deal because it was "detrimental to our students" but right after that they put in astro-turf (that's not detrimental?) at North East Stadium and built a $1 million dollar press box there. :wtf

[AlamoSpursFan]

The Alamodome was built on a 1 cent bus riders tax plus some taxes for hotel rooms and car rentals. <Snip> Sorry if the truth hurts but the uninformed need to be corrected.

Speaking of the uninformed...

The Alamodome was built with a 1/4 cent raise in the sales tax over 5 years.

After the 5 year period, the tax was retired, but has since been reinstated to pay for job training or Edwards land purchases or some such nonsense.

[word]

hmm intresting...Its like a birds eye view

5 meter. SI is suppose to be putting up a 1 meter soon.

www.spaceimaging.com