Mayor Nirenberg backing Sunken Garden Theater renovation plan as vote nears

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

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg has put his support behind a plan that could funnel as much as $62 million in public and private funding to renovate the Sunken Garden Theater.

“I want to see the plan succeed,” Nirenberg said. “There are going to be layers of funding that need to be activated.”

Backers contend the landmark makeover is needed to rescue the more than 90-year-old midtown venue from disrepair and to win back entertainment business that’s bypassing San Antonio for other Texas cities.

The Brackenridge Park Conservancy is spearheading the plan, in the works prior to the pandemic. Nick Hollis, president of the conservancy, said backers are hopeful the city will contribute $25 million toward the improvements, which could include $5 million in municipal bond money.

The conservancy also hopes to get $25 million from Bexar County. The balance would come from the private sector.

“There will be private sector fundraising that’s needed. There is going to be city and county collaboration that’s required,” Nirenberg said, noting that some of the public support could come from Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone funding.

The redevelopment plan calls for expanded seating and a protective rooftop. There would also be improved facilities for event guests and performers.

The hope is that the improvements would help San Antonio win back some of the entertainment business that’s been bypassing the market in favor of other Texas cities with more competitive facilities. But Conservancy officials note that the scope of their plan could change based on feedback from City Hall.

Click here to read this story in full on San Antonio Business Journal.

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Try Girl Scout Cookie concoctions at 21 restaurants, venues during Girl Scout Cookie Flavor Fest

Can’t get enough of those delicious Girl Scout Cookies? As if they weren’t delicious enough on their own, you can enjoy them in a shake, latte, cheesecake — or even in your cocktail or beer.

Twenty-one San Antonio-area restaurants and venues have partnered with the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas for the third annual Girl Scout Cookie Flavor Fest.

Between Feb. 18-27, customers can try out the concoctions and if you tag GSSWT in your social media posts about them, you could have a chance to win a year’s supply of Girl Scout Cookies (52 boxes).

You can also vote for your favorite cookie concoction online.

Participating venues:

Aldaco’s Mexican Cuisine – Trefoils Pastel Tres Leches, Aldaco’s famous vanilla tres leches cake with Trefoils cookie dust. Available Feb. 18-March 15.The Blockhouse – The Minty Irishman, Irish Cream/Thin Mints Frappé espresso, topped with mint whipped cream and Thin Mints. Available Feb. 17-27.Burger Boy – Thin Mints Shake, filled with pieces of Thin Mints and green mint flavoring and mixed with vanilla ice cream. Available Feb. 18-31.Cakes by Felicia – Samoas Concha, Pan Dulce (Mexican Sweet Bread) with Samoas in its center and topped with crushed Samoas, and Tropical Trefoils Cupcake, banana cake with a Trefoils cookie crust bottom, piped with a swirl of vanilla buttercream, and garnished with crushed Trefoils. Available Feb. 18-26.Clementine – Coconut Crème Brûlée, a twist on the classic French dessert: Crème Brûlée made with Samoas, chocolate crémeux, and passion fruit created by Clementine’s owner and pastry chef Elise Russ who is a Girl Scout alum. Available Feb. 18-26.Estancia del Norte San Antonio’s LAZO with Don Strange restaurant – Head Chef Sarah Myles is a Gold Award recipient, the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve. Myles and sous chef Haley Unruh worked with Troop 608 to create a special dish. Samoas Pot de Crème, a traditional French custard that captures the chocolate and coconut of Samoas. Available Feb. 18-27.The Eatery by True Flavors – Shortbread Strawberry Fluff, layered Trefoils, strawberry pudding fluff, strawberry glaze, fresh strawberries, and a whipped topping. Available Feb. 21-24.Extra Fine – Thin Mints Chocolate Milk, Thin Mints-infused oat milk perfect for adding to your latte or shot of espresso, created by chef Jessica Philpot. Available Feb. 18-27.Folklores Coffee House – The Siempre Latte, a Samoas-inspired coconut latte with mocha and caramel. Available Feb. 18-27.La Hacienda de Los Barrios – TBDLa Hacienda Scenic Loop – TBDLos Barrios – TBDMagnolia Pancake Haus – TBDMi Familia de Mi Tierra – Cít-rico Cookie Cheesecake, made with a Lemon-Ups shortbread crust, orange gelatin, and lime Chantilly whipped cream. Available Feb. 18-27.Mi Tierra Café y Panaderia – Cít-rico Cookie Cheesecake, made with a Lemon-Ups shortbread crust, orange gelatin, and lime Chantilly whipped cream. Available Feb. 18-27.Re:Rooted 210 Urban Winery – Owner Jennifer Beckman has named her Girl Scout Cookie and wine pairings “Rooting for the Girls,” and customers can choose four Texas wines paired with four cookies: Lemon-Ups, Do-Si-Dos, Thin Mints, and Samoas. Available Feb. 18-27.Rosario’s Mexican Café y Cantina – SamaosTini is made with coconut vodka, hazelnut and coconut liquors, and served with a toasted coconut and chocolate rim. Available Feb. 18-27.The Scoop at The Mill – Girl Scouts Thin Mints Ice Cream, real ice cream made with chopped Thin Mints. Available Feb. 10-March 4.Tandem San Antonio – “I Want Samoa” latte, which comes hot or iced and drizzled with chocolate/caramel/coconut syrup, whipped cream, toasted coconut flakes, and caramel and chocolate drizzle — with two Samoas on the side. Available Feb. 7-28.Viola’s Ventanas – TBDWeathered Souls Brewing Co. – The Adventurer is an imperial stout featuring Girl Scout’s new cookie variety, Adventurefuls, brownie batter, caramel, and sea salt. Available Feb. 24-March 25.

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Fiesta Commission announces new route for Battle of Flowers, Fiesta Flambeau parades

Fiesta Commission officials on Wednesday will announce a location move for the 2022 Battle of Flowers Parade and the Fiesta Flambeau Parade to an alternate route from previous years.

The announcement will be livestreamed at 1 p.m. in this article, which can be viewed in the video player above.

According to a news release, the new route is necessary due to continued construction on Broadway that will affect parade participants, nonprofit seat vendors, bleachers and patrons.

The 2022 Battle of Flowers Parade will be held on Friday, April 8 and the Fiesta Flambeau Parade to be held on Saturday, April 9.

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Wounded Warrior project warns of predatory practices against veterans

San Antonio is home to thousands of current military men and women and thousands of veterans.

Applying for and filing for military benefit programs can be a long and sometimes frustrating process and you need to be careful.

The Wounded Warriors Project has seen a lot of predatory schemes targeting the military community lately.

Mike Stoddard, Veteran Benefits Director with the Wounded Warrior Project, after 30 years of service with the Army is now working to help his brother and sisters in the military.

“One of the nightmares that we tend to have to deal with is when a veteran or family support member goes to a place that has been doing unethical practices and then they sign a contract or they get involved in something that we really can’t go back and fix,” Stoddard said.

The Wounded Warrior Project says during the pandemic, social media has been home to numerous scams, so there are two questions that need to be asked.

“First and foremost, you should ask the question, ‘‘Are you accredited through Veterans Affairs?’ That’s the first question. The second question is, ‘Are you going to charge me?’” Stoddard said. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

Veterans need to make sure they are protecting themselves when seeking assistance with filing disability claims, rating changes, or pensions.

“The Texas Veterans Commission is great. They have offices all across the counties and all across the country. The most important thing is, you go to somebody’s accredited — so your veteran service organizations, your state veterans, service officers or just again, go to WoundedWarriorProject.org,” Stoddard said.

Veterans can file VA claims on their own behalf for free through the VA, but also have access to numerous veterans service organizations.

If you choose to use an outside agency, it’s easy to check accreditation too.

“If you simply just get on whatever your search engine is and type Veterans Affairs accreditation, a link will pop up and you can type somebody’s name or organization into this website and they will tell you if they are accredited or not. And that updates in real time,” Stoddard said.

To check if your source is accredited, click here.

Adorable San Antonio crepe shop debuts at The Rim with decadent dishes

A new San Antonio cafe is enthusiastically embracing the sweet concept that when life gives you crap, eat crepes! New at The Rim shopping center is the perfectly named and adorably Instagrammable crepe and coffee shop Kaffeinated. Located at 17619 La Cantera Pkwy., suite 209, around the corner from popular Bakudan Ramen, Kaffeinated will host its grand opening on Saturday, February 26. The Kaffeinated menu is a treat to behold, featuring an embarrassment of riches…

SA Zoo’s planned $65M expansion to include new Congo Falls gorilla habitat

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

The San Antonio Zoo plans to develop one of the largest gorilla habitats in the U.S.

The roughly $15 million Congo Falls project is part of a $65 million first phase of a larger planned zoo expansion and will address a decades-old void.

“Great zoos have gorillas,” San Antonio Zoo CEO Tim Morrow said. “We haven’t had gorillas in 32 years.”

San Antonio’s zoo is one of the largest in the nation, Morrow said, without such a large gorilla attraction. The nearest gorilla experience is in Houston.

San Antonio’s old gorilla exhibit was called Congo Falls. Morrow said the new attraction is a nod to the zoo’s past and will be developed in an underutilized portion of the park.

“It’s an abandoned area,” Morrow said.

The phase I expansion will also feature a new gateway project and approximately $15 million in infrastructure improvements for the more than century-old midtown attraction.

Zoo officials are working with St. Louis-based PGAV Destinations on design plans for the 2-acre Congo Falls project. What’s known so far is that the habitat will be constructed in the northwest corner of the park site near Hildebrand Avenue and U.S. Highway 281 and will include two large outdoor areas.

The naturalistic habitat will have indoor, climate-controlled space for the gorillas and a medical facility. It will offer zoo guests multiple ground level and elevated viewing areas.

The emphasis, Morrow said, will be on ensuring world-class animal care. The gorillas will come from accredited zoological facilities based on recommendations by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ species survival coordinator for gorillas.

Morrow’s team is also consulting with other zoological industry experts on the planned project.

“We really want this to be top notch,” Morrow said, noting it will be an immersive experience. “You can’t really tell where the exhibit starts or ends.”

The zoo had initially sought $30 million from the city of San Antonio’s 2022 municipal bond program to help cover the costs of its first-phase expansion. Now, zoo officials are hoping to secure $10 million in bond money and another $10 million from the city’s Midtown TIRZ (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone) program.

City Council is expected to vote on a potential bond allocation for the zoo on Feb. 10. A decision on possible TIRZ funding could come later this month.

Morrow said his organization will need to raise the balance of funding.

“We’re actively fundraising,” he said. “We’re going to have to ask the county for help. We’re getting funding from wherever we can get it.”

Click here to read this story and others on San Antonio Business Journal.

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