San Antonio, Texas

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Downtown San Antonio as viewed from the Tower of the Americas
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Downtown San Antonio as viewed from the Tower of the Americas
San Antonio, Texas
Flag of San Antonio, Texas
Seal of San Antonio, Texas
Nickname: Alamo City
Location of San Antonio,  Texas
Location in Texas
Founded
Incorporated
1731
 
County Bexar County
Mayor Phil Hardberger
Area
 - Total
 - Water

1,067.3 km² (412.07 mi²)
11.7 km² (4.51 mi²) 1.09% 
Population
 - City (2004)
 - Density
 - Metropolitan

1,236,249
1,084.4/km² 
1,820,719 (2003 est.) 
Time zone Central (UTC –6)
Coordinates
WGS-84 (GPS)
 29.4251° N 98.4946° W
Official Website
www.sanantonio.gov

San Antonio is the county seat of Bexar County, Texas.

San Antonio was named for Saint Anthony of Padua, whose feast day it was when a Spanish expedition stopped in the area in 1691. San Antonio was the third-largest city within the state of Texas and ninth in the United States as of the 2000 U.S. Census, with a population of 1.1 million. The July 1, 2004 estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau, however, placed the city's population of 1,236,249 and is now the second-largest city in Texas (surpassing Dallas) and eighth in the United States. San Antonio is the county seat of Bexar County.6 The San Antonio metropolitan area (MSA) is the third largest within Texas with a population of about 1.8 million as of the 2003 U.S. Census estimates.

Famous for its Riverwalk and the Alamo, its Tejano culture, the three-time NBA Champion Spurs basketball team, the Tower of the Americas, and being home to SeaWorld and Fiesta Texas theme parks, San Antonio is visited by 20 million tourists per year.

The city has a strong military presence, it is home to Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base and Brooks City Base.

San Antonio is home to the first museum of Modern Art in Texas, the Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum[1].

SBC Communications, Valero Energy Corp, USAA, Tesoro Petroleum Corp, Southwest Research Institute, H-E-B supermarkets and Clear Channel Communications are headquartered in San Antonio.

San Antonio is also home to the South Texas Medical Center, the largest medical research and care provider in South Texas.

The Fairmont Hotel, built in 1906, is in the Guinness Book of World Records as one of the heaviest buildings ever moved intact. It was placed in its new location, three blocks south of the Alamo, over four days in 1985, and cost $650,000 to move.

Contents

History

The place San Antonio and the San Antonio River were formally named under Spanish viceregal authority on June 13, 1691, by a Spanish expedition led by Domingo Teran de los Rios, the governor of the province of Texas of New Spain and Franciscan Father Damien Massanet who named the river and site in honor of Portuguese born Saint Anthony of Padua "because it was his day" on the official Catholic Church calendar.

St. Anthony was born June 13, 1231, in Lisbon. From that point on, the location was known as San Antonio and it appeared that way on both official and unofficial maps. Some settlers had been left at the site, but they soon died from the elements or from hostile Indians. Various other expeditions came through the area but the one which established permanent occupancy by European settlers occurred May 1-5, 1718, when Gov. Don Martin Alarcon and Father Antonio Olivares founded Mission San Antonio de Valero and the Presidio of San Antonio de Bexar. In 1720, Mission San Jose was founded and then three missions were moved from East Texas to San Antonio in 1731 -- Mission Conception, Mission San Juan and Mission Espada.

Downtown San Antonio retains many historic buildings with architectures of various styles.
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Downtown San Antonio retains many historic buildings with architectures of various styles.
San Antonio's famous Paseo del Rio, or Riverwalk, extends some 2½ miles, attracting several million visitors every year.
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San Antonio's famous Paseo del Rio, or Riverwalk, extends some 2½ miles, attracting several million visitors every year.

On March 9, 1731, a contingent of 55 settlers from Spain's Canary Islands arrived in San Antonio armed with a royal charter to establish the first civilian government in Texas, joining the religious and military establishments that were already in San Antonio. The islanders named their city, Villa de San Ferfnando, a name that never stuck because the place and river had already been known for 40 years as San Antonio. The missions closed in the late 1700s and the old Mission San Antonio was occupied in 1803 as headquarters for 100 members of the Second Flying Company (mounted lancer cavalry) of San Carlos de Parras (Alamo de Parras) sent to reinforce the Spanish garrison at the Presidio. They named the old mission compound El Alamo after their former home. The city's first hospital was opened there as well.

In 1821 Spain granted Mexico its independence and American settlers were allowed into Texas under special conditions. In late 1835 San Antonians fought with the Mexican garrison, forcing its surrender and sending the troops to Mexico City. That enraged Mexico President Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, who led his army to San Antonio to put down the local insurrection. He arrived Feb. 23 and a 13-day siege ensued with about 200 defenders inside the Alamo complex holding off several thousand Mexican troops until the final assault before dawn on March 6 in which all the defenders died in what became one of the most famous battles in history. Santa Anna was defeated April 21 at the Battle of San Jacinto near Houston in which he agreed to recognize Texas independence that had been declared on March 2 by Texas leaders.

The independent Republic of Texas, however, was not recognized by the goverment in Mexico City, but was by the United States, France and England. Texas petitioned the United States for annexation as a state, which was granted in 1845. That touched off war with Mexico (1847-49)in which the U.S. Marines occupied Mexico City (from the Halls of Montezuma) and eventually saw Mexico surrender to the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo in which the United States claimed Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma and parts of Kansas, Wyoming and other states. Today, the Alamo is s historic shrine in downtown San Antonio surrounded by businesses, hotels and tourist attractions such as the River Walk or Paseo del Rio. The other four Spanish colonial Missions have been restored and are part of the Missions San Antonio National Historical Park and all operate as active missions or parishes of the Catholic archdiocese of San Antonio.

Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1,067.3 km² (412.07 mi²). 1,055.6 km² (407.56 mi²) of it is land and 11.7 km² (4.51 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.09% water. The city sits on the Balcones Escarpment.

Climate

San Antonio's weather is somewhat dry, turning hot in the summer, mild in the winter with cool nights, and comfortably warm in the spring and fall. Only a few freezes occur each year and snow is rare.

In San Antonio, July is the average warmest month. The highest temperature ever to be recorded was 111°F/43.8ºC on September 5, 2000. The average coolest month is January. The lowest recorded temperature ever was 0°F/-17.7ºC on January 31, 1949. May, June and October have quite a bit of precipitation.

Winter: Average daytime highs are in the low to mid 60's while being around 40 degrees overnight.

Spring: Average daytime highs are in the upper 70's to low 80's while being in the upper 50's low 60's overnight.

Summer: Average daytime highs are in the mid to upper 90's while being in the low to mid 70's overnight.

Fall: Average daytime highs are in the low to mid 80's while dropping into the upper 50's and low 60's overnight.

Demographics

Aerial view of San Antonio, Texas, and the surrounding plains, December 1939.
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Aerial view of San Antonio, Texas, and the surrounding plains, December 1939.

According to the 2000 census, San Antonio is the 9th largest city in the United States and the 3rd largest in Texas (8th and 2nd according to the July 1, 2004 U.S. Census Bureau estimates). There are 1,144,646 people, 405,474 households, and 280,993 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,084.4/km² (2,808.5/mi²).

There are 433,122 housing units at an average density of 410.3/km² (1,062.7/mi²). According to Texas.com, the current racial make up of San Antonio is: 32% non-Hispanic White, 7% African-American, 2% Asian, 1% Native American; 58% of the population is Hispanic. Hispanics blanket the city, and can be found anywhere in the city. San Antonio's relatively small African-American community resides in the city's eastern neighborhoods, while Anglo/Whites reside in the northern neighborhoods.

In the city the population is spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. In San Antonio, 48% of the population are Males, and 52% of the population are Females. For every 100 females there are 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $36,214, and the median income for a family is $41,331. Males have a median income of $30,061 versus $24,444 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,487. 17.3% of the population and 14.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 24.3% of those under the age of 18 and 13.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Tourism

Downtown San Antonio features the historic San Fernando Cathedral, the Tower Life Building and the Tower of the Americas
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Downtown San Antonio features the historic San Fernando Cathedral, the Tower Life Building and the Tower of the Americas

San Antonio is a popular tourist destination. The jewel of the city is the Paseo del Rio, or River Walk, which meanders through the downtown area. Lined with numerous shops, bars, and restaurants as well as the Arneson River Theater, this attraction is transformed into an impressive festival of lights during the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

The downtown area also features HemisFair Park (home of the Tower of the Americas and the Institute of Texan Cultures), La Villita, El Mercado, and the city's most widely recognized landmark, the Alamo.

Other places of interest include Brackenridge Park (home of the San Antonio Zoo), the missions of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, the Witte Museum, the McNay Art Museum, SeaWorld of Texas, and the Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme park.

The Torch of Friendship sculpture is one of the more recent additions to the downtown area
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The Torch of Friendship sculpture is one of the more recent additions to the downtown area

Every April, San Antonio hosts Fiesta San Antonio, a 10-day celebration of the city's diverse cultures and of the heroes of the Battle of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto, featuring over one hundred events held throughout the city. Visitors can also experience something of the cowboy culture every February at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo; year round, they can also see the 40 ft./12 m. tall cowboy boots at North Star Mall.

Beyond taking in the sights and sounds of San Antonio, tourists can sample some of its world famous Tex-Mex cuisine at the many fine restaurants located throughout the city. San Antonio also has no shortage of establishments offering Texas style barbecue, and for the truly intrepid barbecue aficionado, a day trip to some of the more renowned barbecue pits and smokehouses of Central Texas is both necessary and easily manageable.

Districts and Neighborhoods

The Riverwalk as seen from North St. Mary's Street.
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The Riverwalk as seen from North St. Mary's Street.

San Antonio has several neighborhoods of interest:

  • Downtown is bounded on the north by I-35 North, on the west by I-35 South/I-10 West, on the south by Durango Boulevard, and on the east by I-37. Presently there is a campaign to attract residents back to this section, with more residential high-rises and lofts being constructed downtown. This is still, however, a thriving area, with the Riverwalk, El Mercado, and other tourist destinations.
  • King William, San Antonio's oldest residential neighborhood, extends for a few blocks south of Durango Boulevard, largely along the San Antonio River. It was established by Germans in the late 19th century. Most houses in this historic district are large, beautiful, and well-kept, such as the Steves Homestead, but due to the fact that it is wedged between downtown and the (rougher) South Side of town, most of San Antonio's wealthier residents tend to make their homes elsewhere. King William is served by the newly revitalized commercial district known as Southtown (not to be confused with the South Side), which contains several popular restaurants and art galleries. Other points of interest in this neighborhood include the Pioneer flour mill and the headquarters of the H-E-B grocery store company, whose chairman, billionaire Charlie Butt, lives in King William.
  • Monte Vista, also known as Laurel Heights, is another historically gentrified neighborhood of San Antonio. It lies north of downtown and is loosely bounded by Hildebrand Avenue, San Pedro Avenue, Ashby Place, and U.S. 281. Parts of this area have fallen into depression since the city's Gilded Age (1890-1930), a period during which this was the place to live in San Antonio. The main commercial districts of this area are along Main Avenue and around the intersection of Hildebrand and McCullough Avenues. Monte Vista is home to Trinity University and Temple Beth-El, San Antonio's most venerable synagogue.
  • The area known as Alamo Heights includes the centrally located cities of Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, and Olmos Park. Today this is the most affluent neighborhood of town. The popular Alamo Quarry Market shopping district is located in the Lincoln Heights section along East Basse. The Alamo Heights area is home to actor Tommy Lee Jones, several King Ranch-related families, and four of San Antonio's six billionaires. The San Antonio Country Club is located in Terrell Hills.
  • San Antonio is growing north by northwest, and its newest upscale neighborhoods are located just north of Loop 1604, between I-10 and U.S. 281, in an area called Stone Oak. Stone Oak is home to the Sonterra Country Club and many wealthy people from Mexico. To the west is the La Cantera area, which is anchored by a Westin resort, two golf courses, and the brand new Shops at La Cantera, a mall with such upscale stores as Nordstrom and Nieman Marcus.
  • Other northern cities include Castle Hills, which straddles Loop 410 and Northwest Military Highway, and Windcrest, a northeastern suburb known for its extravagant Christmas light displays. Hill Country Village, which lies very much within the city, contains large estates, and it is not uncommon to see deer running through the back yards.
  • The southeastern suburb of China Grove is located along U.S. 87 and really is of little note except for the fact that the Doobie Brothers wrote a song about it entitled "China Grove."
  • The West Side is known for its wonderful Mexican culture, which is showcased in places like the Guadalupe Street commercial and entertainment district and the Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic church.
  • A crude racial geography of the city would be to say that the North Side is predominantly white, the East Side predominantly black, and the West and South Sides predominantly Hispanic.

Government

San Antonio operates on the council-manager form of government. Voters elect 11 representatives. This includes 10 district representatives and 1 mayor to pass laws and establish policies for the city. San Antonio politics is non-partisan. Representatives are paid $20 a meeting, while the Mayor earns $4040 a year. The council hires a City Manager to serve as the City's chief administrator.

The current mayor is Phil Hardburger.

Transportation

A VIA bus stopped at a downtown intersection
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A VIA bus stopped at a downtown intersection

The San Antonio International Airport is located in north central San Antonio, approximately eight miles from downtown. It has two terminals and is served by 12 airlines serving 28 destinations including 3 in Mexico. An extensive bus and trolley system is provided by the city's metropolitan transit system, VIA. VIA offers 78 regular bus routes and four trolley routes, including express routes from downtown to the theme parks. VIA also offers a special service to city events, including Spurs games and city parades, from its Park and Ride locations.

San Antonio serves as the southern terminus for Amtrak's Texas Eagle train service, originating in Chicago. From there, the Sunset Limited travels west to Los Angeles and east to Orlando three times per week. The old Sunset Station is now an entertainment venue owned by VIA and neighbored by the current station and the Alamodome.

People and culture

Henry Cisneros was the mayor of San Antonio from 1981 to 1989. He was the first Hispanic mayor of a major U.S. city, and later went on to serve as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Bill Clinton. Mr. Cisneros and the late Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez are known as the two giant Henrys of San Antonio politics.

The current mayor is Phil Hardberger, former father-in-law of actor Tommy Lee Jones. Former mayors of note include Walter McAllister, Lila Cockrell, and current County Judge Nelson Wolff, whose son sits on the City Council. Former city councilman and mayoral candidate Julian Castro and his twin brother, state legislator Joaquin Castro, are both political celebrities in the city. Senator John Cornyn served as a federal judge here.

Another local federal judge of note was John H. Wood, Jr., who was assassinated in 1979 by Charles Harrelson, father of Cheers actor Woody Harrelson. Mr. Harrelson committed the hit on behalf of local drug lord Jimmy Chagra.

Republican Congressman Henry Bonilla and his ex-wife, local CBS new anchor Deborah Knapp, live in San Antonio.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Iran-Contra figure Oliver North were both born in San Antonio.

NFL players from San Antonio include Priest Holmes; Kyle Rote, who graduated from Jefferson High School; Keith Cash and Kerry Cash, who both graduated from Holmes High School; Ndukwe (N.D.) Kalu, who graduated from Marshall High School; and John Hagy.

Shaquille O'Neal graduated from Robert G. Cole High School, Fort Sam Houston, having led his team to a 36-0 record and a state championship his senior year. Indiana Pacers center Jeff Foster is another native.

Professional wrestler Shawn Michaels grew up on Lackland Air Force Base, where his father, an Air Force colonel, was stationed.

Olympic gold medalist swimmer Josh Davis was born in San Antonio on September 1, 1972, the same day Mark Spitz won one of his seven 1972 gold medals and made Olympic history.

Native actors include Academy Award winner Joan Crawford, Carol Burnett, Ann Prentiss, Hal LeSueur, Bruce McGill, Jared Padalecki, Taylor Ball, Ann B. Davis of The Brady Bunch, Henry Thomas of ET, and Ricardo Antonio Chavira of Desperate Housewives. It is an interesting coincidence that Mr. Chavira plays Eva Longoria's husband on Housewives, since the actress is dating San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker. Film director Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, Sin City, et al.) was also born here.

A native of San Saba, Texas, actor Tommy Lee Jones makes his home on a 3,000 acre (12 km²) cattle ranch in central Texas and keeps another house in the San Antonio neighborhood of Terrell Hills. Mr. Jones's ex-wife, Kimberlea, is the daughter of San Antonio mayor Phil Hardberger and his wife, the former Linda Morgan, an Andrea Doria survivor.

Residents of the nearby Texas Hill Country include President Bush's top adviser, Karl Rove; actress Madeleine Stowe and husband, Brian Benben; and actor Patrick Swayze. Former Spurs center David Robinson, who won the NBA MVP award in 1995, and country singer George Strait, who was raised in nearby Pearsall, live in the Dominion, a large gated community near Leon Springs, on the edge of the Hill Country.

Syndicated advice columnist Heloise was born in San Antonio and resides in the suburb of Helotes.

Author Sandra Cisneros resides in the historic King William district, in a purple house that has gained her notoriety beyond the city limits.

American Juniors runner-up Jordan McCoy, who is now signed with Sean Combs, also hails from San Antonio.

Spurs owner Peter Holt, a partner in Caterpillar, Inc., is a noteworthy resident, as is Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.

Several non-Spurs NBA players maintain residences in San Antonio, such as New York Knicks forward Malik Rose and Washington Wizards guard Antonio Daniels. Mr. Rose, a native of Philadelphia, owns a Philly cheese steak restaurant in the city's popular Alamo Quarry Market shopping district. Utah Jazz forward Devin Brown is a native of the city and graduate of South San Antonio High School and UTSA.

Best-selling Christian author Max Lucado serves as minister to the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio where David Robinson is a prominent member. TV evangelist John Hagee is the pastor of Cornerstone Church, in the Stone Oak section of town.

The city is home to six billionaires: Charlie Butt, chairman of H-E-B grocery stores; Lowry Mays, founder and chairman of Clear Channel Communications; Christopher (Kit) Goldsbury, former owner of Pace Foods (bought out by the Campbell Soup Company); Red McCombs, businessman, auto dealer, fouding partner in Clear Channel, and former owner of the Spurs, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Vikings; H. Bartell Zachry, chairman of the Zachry highway construction company; and James Leininger, chairman of Kinetic Concepts, Inc. Other prominent San Antonio business figures include SBC chairman Ed Whitacre, Valero chairman Bill Greehey, auto dealer and New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, and Frost Bank chairman Tom Frost.

Sister cities

Education and scientific research

Colleges and Universities

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is a first tier research university that pumps $1 billion annually into San Antonio's economy and accounts for 12,000 jobs.
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The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is a first tier research university that pumps $1 billion annually into San Antonio's economy and accounts for 12,000 jobs.

San Antonio hosts several institutions of higher education offering associate's degrees or higher, including:

Public schools

San Antonio and Bexar County are served by 15 separate independent school districts, largest among these are Northside Independent School District with an estimated total enrollment of 65,700 (6th largest in Texas), San Antonio Independent School District with an estimated enrollment of 57,500, and North East Independent School District. Other districts that serve portions of the city of San Antonio include Alamo Heights, East Central, Edgewood, Fort Sam Houston, Harlandale, Judson, Lackland, South San Antonio, and Southwest.

Private Schools

San Antonio has many private schools, notably Saint Mary's Hall, Keystone and T.M.I.: The Episcopal School of Texas

Other educational facilities

  • San Antonio Public Library [15]

Media and entertainment

Newspaper

San Antonio has one major newspaper, the San Antonio Express-News [16], which has been in service since 1865. The Express-News currently circulates as the largest newspaper service in South Texas. A second newspaper, the San Antonio Light, purchased the original Express-News, abandoned the Light name, and became the "new" Express-News. The San Antonio Current is the "alternative" paper with weekly listings of events and nightlife around town.

Television

While the city may be one of the largest in the country, San Antonio is only the 37th largest television market in the United States, according to Neilsen. The following list are the major affiliate television stations in the city.


Broadcast television in the San Antonio market
KBEJ 2 (UPN) - WOAI 4 (NBC) - KENS 5 (CBS) - KJLF 7 (Ind) - KLRN 9 (PBS) - KSAT 12 (ABC) - KNIC 17 (Ind) - KTDF 18 (TV Azteca)
KHCE 23 (TBN) - KEVI 25 (Ind) - KPXL 26 (PAX) - KABB 29 (FOX) - KRRT 35 (The WB) - KWEX 41 (UNV)
KQEV 46 (DS) - KFTO 47 (UNV) - KVDA 60 (TEL)

Radio

About 40 radio stations can be heard in the San Antonio area; 30 of them are actually located in San Antonio. The first radio station to broadcast in South Texas was KTSA AM-550 in 1922; that station continues today as the San Antonio's only all-local 24-hour news-talk station. Another significant station is WOAI AM-1200 (affiliated with the WOAI TV station and the flagship of Clear Channel Worldwide), which is the radio home of the San Antonio Spurs.

Two significant changes in the Latin radio market (as of June 27, 2005): Univision Radio's Amor 95.1 (KCOR) FM flipped formats from Spanish Contemporary to Reggaeton, now named "La Kalle 95.1". (http://www.univision.com) "La Kalle 95.1 FM," is a new youth-targeted Spanish-language radio station that will cater to San Antonio Hispanics in the highly sought-after 18-34 demographic, reflecting changes also seen in similar stations in New York and San Francisco.

La Kalle’s high-energy format will primarily feature Reggaeton and Latin Hip-Hop music. Reggaeton, a relatively new genre of dance music that originated in Puerto Rico and derives from a blend of Latin tropical sounds, Jamaican reggae music and urban hip-hop, has taken the US Hispanic market by storm.

This format change adds some needed diversity to the radio landscape, with a playlist that is more inclusive of the tastes of all Latinos in the San Antonio area, including those of non-Tejano descent. Most Latin stations in the area play Regional Mexican, Tejano or Contemporary Pop. Another station, which just started broadcasting in 2004 is Digital 104.1 (SKRIO) FM, which bills itself as Pop en Español, but mostly mimics the format of the former Amor.

Nightlife

San Antonio has a robust nightlife that centers on several key areas:

  • The Riverwalk is home to several night clubs, all with a 2am or later closing time, depending on what night it is. Notable clubs in this area include the Hard Rock Cafe, the DANCEPLEX (formerly Polly Esther's), Club RIVE/TABU and Dick's Last Resort.
  • Downtown San Antonio, away from the river, has several clubs, including the popular Coyote Ugly franchise bar, gay nightspot The Bonham Exchange ("the" place on Fridays), and the Rivercenter Comedy Club.
  • Away from downtown, a strip of Main Street near San Antonio College includes gay-oriented clubs such as The Electric Company (younger crowds), The Saint (disco, drag shows, strippers), The Silver Dollar Saloon (country-western), and the Heat.
  • Also in the area is the North Saint Mary's Strip, located to the east of main street. On this strip, several bars can be found, such as Paparay's, Joey's, the Mix, Tycoon Flats, small coffee shops such as The Candlelight Cafe (mixed gay-straight crowd), and the latino-themed video bar, Arriba.

Professional sports teams

The city's only top-level professional sports team, and consequently the team most San Antonians follow, is the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA. The Spurs have been playing in San Antonio since 1973 and have won three NBA Championships (1999, 2003, 2005). Previously, the Spurs played at the Alamodome, which was built for football, but the Spurs built and moved into the SBC Center in 2002. One of the immediate consequences for the SBC Center is the creation of two new teams, The San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League and the San Antonio Silver Stars of the WNBA. San Antonio is also home to the Double-A Minor League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, the San Antonio Missions who play at Nelson Wolff Stadium on the west side of the city.

The city is also a temporary home for the New Orleans Saints for the 2005 NFL season due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. The Saints have set up practice facilities in San Antonio for the season, and will play a split home schedule in the Alamodome and Baton Rouge, Louisiana's Tiger Stadium. City officials are said to be attempting to lure the NFL permanently to San Antonio, and have said that a strong showing at the Alamodome for the three local Saints games is vital to showing that San Antonio can support an NFL franchise.

San Antonio hosts the NCAA football Alamo Bowl each December.




Sources

External links

 

San Antonio
The Alamo | Alamodome | Brooks City-Base | Clear Channel | Fiesta Texas | Fort Sam Houston | Freeman Coliseum | Frost Bank | HemisFair '68 | Institute of Texan Cultures | Lackland Air Force Base | Nelson W. Wolff Stadium | Randolph Air Force Base | The Riverwalk | S.A. Missions National Park | San Antonio International Airport | San Antonio Spurs | San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo | SBC Center | SBC Communications | SeaWorld | Southwest Research Institute | St. Mary's University | Trinity University | Tower of the Americas | USAA | UT Health Science Center | UTSA | Valero |

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