The tilt walls for the forthcoming Tech Port Center — which will open in 2022 as a full spectrum innovation center for South Texas — have begun their ascent and will serve as the foundation for the 130,000-square-foot facility.

Tech Port Center will further 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

Tech Port Center under construction on the Port San Antonio campus.

The upcoming space will be a leading destination that will engage hundreds of thousands of people annually from throughout the region, across the country and around the world. They will include competitors and spectators of major esports events, students and their families participating in entertainment, cultural and learning experiences and leading experts who will collaborate while they create, showcase and sell their latest technological innovations. 

Rendering of exterior of upcoming innovation center at Port San Antonio (credit: Port San Antonio / RVK Architects)

The building’s key components under a single roof will serve multiple functions simultaneously. They are:

• A 2,500-seat state-of-the-art technology arena that can be configured for different uses, including esports competitions, concerts, product launches and large training programs. Retractable seating will allow the space to host conventions and conferences.
• Space that will serve as the new home of the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology (SAMSAT), which will host numerous hands-on exhibits, demonstrations and classes. The area will also serve to showcase current technologies as part of educational programs and to help companies demonstrate their innovations to prospective buyers.
• Integrated classrooms and meeting spaces to further support educational programs, smaller industry meetings and collaboration among different partners and their clients.
• A research and development lab that will provide scalable space and prototyping / fabrication equipment to support the work of startups. It will also allow greater collaboration between technology companies of all sizes with universities and other research partners to advance specific projects.
• As a leading destination and community gathering space for a wide range of users, the facility will also feature a large 24-hour electronic gaming area and a full-scale food hall, including catering support for the various events hosted at the center.

Floor plan of Tech Port Center at Port San Antonio (credit: Port San Antonio / RVK Architects).

Construction is being led by Sundt Construction and designs were created by San Antonio-based RVK Architects. Upon completion, Tech Port Center will be operated by ASM Global, which manages over 300 stadiums, convention centers, theaters, and unique venues around the world. It also specializes in organizing its hosted activities, which include conventions, sporting events, gaming competitions, and concerts, as well as business, cultural and entertainment offerings.

Tech Port Center, in the heart of the Port’s 1,900-acre campus, will be located within 10 minutes southwest of downtown and other major technology hubs in San Antonio. The upcoming facility will be surrounded by a growing array of private- and public-sector employers in leading technologies and the defense sector. San Antonio, dubbed “Military City U.S.A.,” is also home to major DoD and other security operations within the Port campus and nearby. They will similarly have access to the innovation center as part of training, demonstrations, and social events. Among them is neighboring Lackland AFB—where nearly 40,000 airmen undergo basic training each year. (Credit: Port San Antonio)