Development in the Pearl area has soared, thanks in part to a special tax zone the city of San Antonio created nearly two decades ago to revitalize neighborhoods north of downtown.
The city has used the zone’s swelling coffers to help pay for luxury and affordable housing, a dog park and improvements to the San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio Botanical Garden, Brackenridge Park and Witte Museum.
City officials now want to tap it to acquire property for a new Spurs arena, the centerpiece of a broader sports and entertainment district downtown…