http://www.mysanantonio.com/specials/sbc/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=215&xlc=842512 Multimillion-dollar arena, two years in the making, tips off with style, a few rough edges and a Spurs loss By Roy Bragg San Antonio Express-News Web Posted : 10/19/2002 12:00 AM It was seconds before tip-off of the first-ever event in the brand, spanking new SBC Center and a sweaty Steve Zito stood in a courtside hallway. Crossed arms. Concern evident on his face. All around him, there was a blur of activity. Ushers, armed with color-coded maps, got Spurs fans to their seats. The concession food was, for the most part, hot. The arena lights were on. The scoreboard worked. The baskets weren't working, though, as the New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 85-82. Other than the usual "new house" kinks, opening night for the cutting-edge SBC Center went like clockwork. Wires were hanging from some interior hallways. An escalator near the Southwest Airlines Mercado gave out earlier Friday during a media tour, but was back up before game time. The courtside luxury suites had substitute chairs. No one seemed to mind. "These things happen when you move into a new house," said Jane Leininger, a season ticket holder whose ticket numbers didn't match her seat numbers. Because of the discrepancy, husband Dan Leininger's seat didn't exist. Apologetic arena staffers explained the seats were mis-numbered, the tickets were right, and that all would be fixed by today, she said. The Leiningers got seats. Quipped John Leininger of his brother's seating dilemma: "He wanted an aisle seat. So he got a seat in the aisle." The cozier confines of the 18,500-seat arena — the cavernous Alamodome had 35,000 seats for basketball — suited players. Forward Danny Ferry said the smaller arena would help fans channel their intensity and that would help the players. "I like it," forward Malik Rose added. "I hope the crowd will like it as much as we do. It's great." It was ironic that the Knicks, the team that came to town Friday for the second biggest night in franchise history, had also been there for the biggest night in franchise history. Back in 1999, the Spurs beat them for the team's only NBA Championship. Fans were happy about the new digs. One of the first fans in the building, shortly after it opened at 6 p.m., was Madalynne Hancock, a Spurs fan for seven years. "It's just the excitement of the game and the opportunity to see the new facility," she said, explaining her arrival three hours before the 7:30 p.m. start. "And the fact that I'm going to miss David (Robinson)," she added, referring to the All-Star Spurs center slated to retire after this season. The first fan to get tickets at the southeast ticket tower was Fred Reyes, who works at the nearby Coca-Cola bottling plant. For two years, he's fought construction delays. "I'm excited," he said. "I'm ready to see it open up." Outside, traffic was iffy, depending on the route taken. Fans coming from the east and south — up Coca Cola Drive, Houston Street and Interstate 10 — had an easy time of it. Folks coming from the north and west — Interstate 35 and SBC Center Parkway — had it worse, with some in queue for more than an hour. Ballpark food is an important part of anyone's fan experience. There were mixed reviews. Some thought it was pricey, others thought it was OK. There were reports of lukewarm nachos, but the jalapeño sausages were big sellers. The Terrace restaurant, located behind the courtside suites, got good reviews. "It's outstanding," said George Deverman, a guest of corporate box owner Clear Channel Worldwide. "I like the setup and the ambience. There's good variety and they're set up to move people through here before the game. I definitely will be coming back." Spurs officials were very happy with the evening. "I'll admit there were nights, laying in bed, when I didn't think that this evening would ever happen," said a cheery Peter Holt, Spurs chairman. When his spirits sagged during the two years, he got pep talks from owners of the NBA's other 20 teams that had recently built arenas and who had been through the ordeal. "It's awesome," said Russ Bookbinder, Spurs executive vice president. "It's one thing to put it out on paper and work through it all. But when you see it built and see people reacting to it, it's unbelievable." "It's great to see it happen and to hear the people out on the concourse," said Rick Pych, Spurs chief development officer. For two years, Zito had overseen the project, a cutting edge home for the Spurs, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, concerts and dozens of other big venue events. As Zito stood in the hallway Friday, 40 workers sat in a dimly lit staging area 50 feet away, ready to go at a moment's notice if something went awry. "You always have to have a Plan B," he said, motioning to the workers. "They're my Plan B." As the game neared, Zito checked the dog-eared notepad that he keeps in his back pocket. He surveyed his list of "to do" items for the arena opening. "This is my peace of mind," he said. "I checked off everything. Twice." As he stood in the corridor, a Spurs fan walked up to him. "It's beautiful," she told him, touching his arm. "I love it. We all love it." And Zito breathed easier.
