Port San Antonio – home to leading aerospace, cybersecurity, defense, robotics, and other advanced operations – continues to accelerate the pace of American ingenuity.
The Port San Antonio Board of Directors recently approved construction of a full spectrum innovation center that will significantly advance the organization’s Tech Port vision – which is based on three core principles:
- Connect people with employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities.
- Connect education at all levels with industry.
- Connect technology innovators with domestic and international markets.
The Port campus is home to over 14,000 jobs; nearly 4,000 have been added since 2018.
The upcoming space will engage hundreds of thousands of people annually from San Antonio and abroad. They will include esports competitors and spectators, students and their families participating in entertainment, cultural and learning experiences and leading experts collaborating as they create, showcase and sell their technological innovations.
The facility will span 130,000 square feet and will be funded through a commercial loan, which the Port will repay through multiple revenue streams generated by the facility, including entertainment events, conferences and industry partnerships.
Profits from the innovation center will support technology-focused K-12, college-level and professional development programs.
The building’s key components will serve multiple functions simultaneously:
- A 2,500-seat modern technology arena configurable for different uses, including esports competitions, concerts, product launches and training programs.
- Space that will serve as the new home of the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology (SAMSAT) and its suite of hands-on exhibits, demonstrations and classes. The area will also showcase current technologies as part of educational programs and help companies demonstrate their innovations to prospective buyers.
- Integrated classrooms and spaces to further support educational programs, smaller industry meetings and collaboration among different partners and their clients.
- A research and development lab with scalable space and prototyping/fabrication equipment to support the work of startups and allow greater collaboration between technology companies and research partners.
- A large 24-hour electronic gaming area and a full-scale food hall.
Integrated virtual technology throughout the facility, such as teleconferencing systems and broadcast streaming capabilities, will give it global reach.
Construction, which is led by Sundt Construction and RVK Architects, will begin this summer. Upon completion, the innovation center will be operated by ASM Global.
By locating in the heart of one of the nation’s fastest-growing innovation destinations, the facility will be at the center of major activities transforming the economic trajectory of South Texas.
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