Hemisfair seeks design approval for sports pavilion at Tower of the Americas

Downtown San Antonio skyline photo shows the Tower of the Americas from the Thompson San Antonio River Walk hotel in July 2021. (Julie Moreno, KSAT)

SAN ANTONIO – A new way to activate the Tower of the Americas grounds is under design review.

In the first sign of movement on the planned Tower Park at Hemisfair, the organization is planning to construct a “Sports Court” pavilion in place of the pond at the base of the structure, according to an application filed with the Historic and Design Review Commission. Hemisfair says it has the philanthropic support to fund the construction.

Last fall, Hemisfair unveiled the first phase of Civic Park, which added green space to the grounds west of the tower.

The organization said the pavilion is in line with the themes that emerged from public feedback about Tower Park, namely the need for public recreation. It would replace the longstanding pond that has greeted tourists for decades.

“The pond, built in 1988 for the benefit of the Tower of the Americas operations, has a negative impact in the area for its unpleasant odor,” Hemisfair wrote in its HDRC application.

Renderings of the project were not immediately available. A concrete slab, mostly painted for a basketball court, would make up the pavilion, the application states. A 28-foot oval roof would cover the pavilion and overhang for onlookers. The space would also be available to rent for community events.

Read the fully story in the San Antonio Business Journal.

Editor’s note: This story was published through a partnership between KSAT and the San Antonio Business Journal.


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