SAN ANTONIO – CORRECTION: KSAT originally reported that the funds from the La Villita fund would be moved to the city’s general fund, that is not correct. This story has been updated to reflect that under a new agreement there is not a La Villita fund. We regret the error.
The future of NIOSA is uncertain after the president of the Conservation Society of San Antonio terminated the organization’s multiyear agreement with the city to host the event.
In a letter obtained by KSAT, Shanon Miller, the city’s chief downtown officer, said she had received a letter from Conservation Society President Betty Bueche ending the society’s license to host NIOSA.
The move marks a significant development for the long-running event, which is tied to La Villita and preservation efforts in the historic downtown area.
Miller also wrote that the city would continue working with the Conservation Society to spend the remaining money in the La Villita Preservation Fund.
The fund is used for city-owned buildings and improvements.
In a statement sent to KSAT, Bueche said the Conservation Society sent a letter requesting the termination of the license agreement “within the last couple of days”.
Bueche also said the La Villita fund has a remaining balance of approximately $890,000.
Bueche said that the license agreement where funds went to the La Villita Preservation Fund ended following NIOSA 2025. A new license agreement went into effect starting with NIOSA 2026.
“The new license agreement does not include a La Villita fund. The City preferred that those contributions be directed to the General Fund, which is included in the new agreement which was just terminated. The City decides how to spend the La Villita fund. Its purpose is to fund improvements to La Villita. The City will continue to be the decision maker regarding how to use the remaining funds in the La Villita Fund”, Bueche said in a statement to KSAT.
The city will decide how to use the remaining money in the La Villita fund.
Bueche told KSAT Thursday morning that if the Conservation Society Board decides in the future to hold NIOSA in La Villita or any other city-owned facility, it will need to sign a new license agreement with the city.
“The Task Force is still studying fund raising activities for future consideration by the Board,” Bueche said in an email to KSAT. “No decisions have been made nor formally proposed yet.”
