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Who gets to pick the new name for the American Bank Center?
(This story was updated to add new information and because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the timeline by which the city of Corpus Christi and OVG need to come to an agreement over the naming rights for the American Bank Center.
Whose name will be emblazoned on what is now the American Bank Center has started a renewed round of debate — but one that remains centered on whether the name the building ultimately bears is Thomas J. Henry Law.
In news releases issued June 4 and June 5, the high-profile personal injury attorney suggested that his offer for the naming rights — $1.25 million annually for 10 years — made the most sense.
Henry has made his interest in the naming rights of the American Bank Center publicly known for more than a year, as well as his proposed bid — in one news release describing the process as 'mired in needless delay and political interference.'
'There is no other company that has offered—nor is willing or able to offer—a deal of comparable value to the taxpayers,' the news release states. 'Every month this process is delayed is another month of lost revenue for the hardworking families of Corpus Christi.'
Henry also suggested in the news release that there were 'growing concerns of political bias obstructing a significant public-private opportunity.'
In a message to the Caller-Times, Mayor Paulette Guajardo wrote that the city is 'committed to a fair naming process,' describing the American Bank Center as 'a cornerstone of the city's cultural and economic vibrancy.'
The contract between the city and OVG, the American Bank Center's management company, calls for OVG to manage the naming rights process with a final decision 'based on feedback and collaboration between OVG, City Council, and City staff,' she wrote.
'Next week, we expect that feedback to be given,' Guajardo wrote in the June 5 message. 'OVG has a process committed to a transparent and thorough evaluation considering all proposals fairly. Any assertions otherwise are patently false and designed to receive media attention.'
The dispute over the naming rights for the landmark building has taken on multiple fronts, to include the process in which a decision is reached and who makes the decision.
OVG representatives did not immediately respond to a message sent by the Caller-Times, but city officials confirmed that Henry's is one of two proposals for the naming rights.
Information was not immediately available about the second company or its proposal amount.
American Bank has sponsored the taxpayer-owned entertainment venue on Shoreline Boulevard for about 20 years but announced in April 2024 its intent to end the partnership.
It was initially thought the center would shed its American Bank name in September 2024.
There have been several extensions since then, City Manager Peter Zanoni told the Caller-Times.
In a memo, he wrote that staff was in process of scheduling meetings between City Council members and OVG representatives.
They are intended 'to ensure OVG is available to answer questions from City Council Members interested in this topic' and to allow city officials 'to ask more detailed questions about their naming rights process, recommendations, alternatives, and next steps,' Zanoni wrote in the memo.
'Feedback from Council Members is a crucial part of OVG's decision-making process for the naming rights.'
He told the Caller-Times that OVG engaged with about 100 entities over the past two years as part of its naming rights process, with less than a dozen considered to be serious contenders.
May 31 was the last call for proposals, Zanoni said, adding that the city and OVG need to come to an agreement in the near future.
Options described by Zanoni include: selecting a naming rights partner, starting the naming rights process over again, requesting an additional extension with American Bank, forgoing a name entirely or picking a general name for the venue that is not associated with a naming rights partner.
The current contract with American Bank expires at the end of August, he added, at which point there will be a 30-day timeline in which signage must be removed.
While some council members have voiced support for Henry's offer — City Councilman Eric Cantu issued a news release fully backing the attorney and 'a transformational deal for a city asset that needs it' — others have questioned what they consider to be a push for a potentially hurried process.
'It would seem to me that whatever is the best solution today will also be the best solution next week and next month,' said City Councilman Mark Scott. 'So I'm fascinated by what I perceive to be as pressure to rush to a decision.'
Henry's bid far outweighs the other proposal, Cantu said, asserting that politics are obstructing moving forward with the process. In his news release, he pointed out that the 'city of Corpus Christi is facing a serious budget shortfall.'
The deficit was last estimated to be about $7 million.
'It's just sad — this man has money from his business and wants to invest in Corpus Christi,' Cantu told the Caller-Times. 'We should be happy that he wants to invest in Corpus Christi and give us that much money to put his name on a building.'
Henry's news release named Guajardo, Scott and City Councilman Roland Barrera as continuing 'to stand in the way of progress.'
Barrera asserted that Henry is 'utilizing the press to try to manipulate the narrative and manipulate negotiations,' in part referencing statements in Henry's news release accusing council members of 'interference.'
'I just don't know how you negotiate in good faith with a partner that's actually painting themselves as the victim and (making) statements like that,' he said. 'It's just a nonstarter for me.'
The exact balance of the roles that OVG and the City Council play in determining the naming rights wasn't immediately clear June 5; however, the management company wrote in an email to the Caller-Times last year that it was 'leading the selection process for the naming rights partner, and the decision will be made in collaboration with the City of Corpus Christi.'
Cantu wants the discussion about the naming rights to be held publicly in the June 10 council meeting, and has criticized the contract with OVG, asserting the decision should be solely the council's.
Scott said he was seeking to be 'fully informed and make sure the council's fully informed of all the relative data points that lead to a decision.'
'It's not obstruction,' he said. 'I think it's just making sure that we make the right decision with the right information.'
More: American Bank is parting ways with American Bank Center
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Who gets to pick the new name for the American Bank Center?
