Frost Bank Center
The arena opened in 2002 as the SBC Center. A twenty-year agreement worth $41 million secured this name for San Antonio-based SBC Communications, Inc. The deal involved Bexar County and the San Antonio Spurs. In November 2005, SBC Communications changed its corporate identity to AT&T Inc. This shift triggered a formal renaming of the facility to the AT&T Center in January 2006. On the 2nd of July 2021, officials announced that AT&T would not renew their contract. Three years later, on the 3rd of August 2023, Frost Bank became the new sponsor. The official name change to Frost Bank Center took effect on the 22nd of September 2023. Building signage updated shortly after the announcement.
Ground broke on the new facility in August 2000. Minneapolis-based Ellerbe Becket served as the primary architect for the project. Local firm Lake/Flato partnered with them to introduce South Texas vernacular elements. Voters approved the funding plan in November 1999 through hotel and car rental tax increases. The Spurs contributed an additional $28.5 million to the total cost. County-issued bonds financed the remaining US$175 million required for construction. Rick Pych led the franchise through development and opening phases. The arena seats 18,418 people for basketball games. It holds up to 19,000 spectators for concerts or large gatherings. The design includes 2,018 club seats and 50 luxury suites.
The San Antonio Spurs played at the Alamodome before moving to their current home. This multi-purpose facility opened in 1993 but proved inadequate for professional basketball needs. Fans grew dissatisfied with poor sight lines and a cavernous atmosphere inside the stadium. The basketball court sat at one end of what would be a football field. Almost half of the stadium remained curtained off during games. Seating capacity could expand to 35,000 for popular opponents. A 1999 NBA Finals game attracted nearly 40,000 attendees. The facility was designed primarily for football rather than basketball. Other new arenas offered intimate atmospheres and lower-level suites that the Alamodome lacked.
The venue hosted the San Antonio Stars from 2003 until 2017. These women's basketball players called the arena home for fourteen years. The San Antonio Rampage ice hockey team occupied the space for eighteen seasons between 2002 and 2020. Professional Bull Riders held a Built Ford Tough Series event on the 1st of August 2, 2009. Black Sabbath performed their final United States show here on the 12th of November 2016. UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Stephens took place on the 28th of June 2014. The arena also hosts the annual Bud Light River City Rockfest since May 2013. WWE events including Royal Rumble in 2007 have filled the seats. The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo occurs annually during February.
Bexar County Commissioners Court approved up to $101.5 million in renovations on the 9th of December 2014. Construction work began in the summer of 2015 after the Spurs finished that season. A new scoreboard replaced the old system inside the building. Updated televisions were installed both within the venue and on its exterior walls. State-of-the-art sound systems improved audio quality throughout the facility. Improved Wi-Fi coverage now reaches about 90% of the entire venue. Expansions included the fan shop and other major parts of the complex. Funding came from a 2008 tax increase designated for various local projects. The Tobin Center received improvements alongside the rodeo grounds next door.
City officials revealed plans for a new downtown district in November 2024. This project aims to replace the current arena with a modern complex by 2032. The Spurs committed $1 billion dollars toward the overall district development. Further funding sources include the city, Bexar County, and private investors. Public funding for the arena portion was approved in November 2025. Financing plans received final approval in August 2025. The timeline proposes completion or construction over the next one to five years. New facilities will include a convention center, hotel tower, and retail spaces. Improvements to the existing Alamodome are also part of this broader vision.
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Common questions
When did the Frost Bank Center open and what was its original name?
The arena opened in 2002 as the SBC Center. A twenty-year agreement worth $41 million secured this name for San Antonio-based SBC Communications, Inc.
Who is the current sponsor of the Frost Bank Center and when did the name change take effect?
Frost Bank became the new sponsor on the 3rd of August 2023. The official name change to Frost Bank Center took effect on the 22nd of September 2023.
How many seats does the Frost Bank Center hold for basketball games and concerts?
The arena seats 18,418 people for basketball games. It holds up to 19,000 spectators for concerts or large gatherings.
What major renovations were completed at the Frost Bank Center in 2015?
Bexar County Commissioners Court approved up to $101.5 million in renovations on the 9th of December 2014. Construction work began in the summer of 2015 after the Spurs finished that season.
When will the new downtown district replace the current Frost Bank Center facility?
City officials revealed plans for a new downtown district in November 2024. This project aims to replace the current arena with a modern complex by 2032.