SAN ANTONIO – After a lengthy discussion during a Thursday city council meeting, the vote to impose a proposed curfew for Hemisfair Park was tabled for further review.

The proposed curfew faced opposition from various councilmembers who expressed concerns about its effectiveness in deterring crime, the ambiguous language of the curfew, and its potential impact on tourism.

District 1 Councilmember Sukh Kaur, who advocated for the curfew, cited safety concerns from constituents following a rise in downtown crime.

However, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus expressed skepticism about the need for a curfew, stating that public safety in the park area was not a significant issue and that imposing a curfew might not reduce crime.

The discussion also highlighted concerns about the language of the curfew, with councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez pointing out potential disparities in enforcement based on individual discretion.

Assistant City Manager Lori Houston and Councilmember Melissa Cabello Havrda raised questions about how the curfew would impact workers leaving late from businesses surrounding the park and individuals passing through the park after hours.

District 9 Councilman John Courage emphasized the potential negative effects on tourism, noting that visitors may wish to enjoy the park late at night, and changing its hours could limit their experiences.

After a thorough discussion, Mayor Nirenberg and councilmembers decided to postpone further consideration of the curfew proposal, with the possibility of revisiting it in October pending additional review.

“We need to make sure that it comes before the council as a whole in a B session and that if it ever gets further conversation beyond that, we schedule some public hearings,” Mayor Nirenberg stated. “But this is clearly not a solution to the challenges that we’re trying to address.”