b'AS THE EDITOR OF A COMMUNITY GUIDE that is designed to educate new- improve the dilapidated blocks surrounding it, in the once very-dangerous dis-comers, and presumably encourage them to stay awhile, I find it a challenge totrict east of downtown, was funded and built. Today, downtown San Antonio is honestly address the big question that is on so many of your minds: Why is a citybusy, safe, vibrant and successful, with tourists and conventioneers visiting from as beautiful and prosperous as Corpus Christi so small and undeveloped? around the world, with more to do than they will have time to fit into their trip.Its a very serious topic, and undoubtedly has an important impact on why fam- What readers like you see, to whom the Coastal Bend and Corpus Christi are new, ilies, business owners and investors choose not to come here. Despite our citysis wide-open, mostly waterfront property with pretty much nothing on it. You steady population growth of about 1% per year, there is no big story here. Yes,must wonder if there is something in the air or water (ahem) that has restricted facilities like the Cole Park Pier and Bob Hall Pier replacements are good, and yes,our growth. Nowhere on the vast coastline of the United States will you find more new educational facilities are opening this yearbut whats the big story? Thereprime, waterfront property, on bays and on an ocean, setting there ready to be is none. Aside from strong residential construction, there is still nothing big. developed than in Corpus Christi. It just doesnt exist, so you must conclude that Henry Cisneros was elected mayor of San Antonio at age 33 in 1981, after servingits something about the culture holding us back. You may be right.two terms on the city council. He ran on a pro-think-big agenda that won theTo plagiarize myself from an editorial I wrote 18 years ago, San Antonio turned support of the majority-Hispanic population along with conservative, old-moneya dirty ditch into one the countrys top visitor attractions, but we cant figure out business executives and property owners. His goals for the city were bold, excit- what to do with the most beautiful bayfront and oceanfront property in Texas.ing and gave real hope to San Antonians that investment would not be restrictedSadly, that statement is still true about Corpus Christiand as we enter anoth-to the affluent and upcoming north side, but would include the oldest and moster political cycle, we are yet to hear a single big, inspirational idea from any of depressed neighborhoods in his city. The principle that a rising tide lifts all boatsour elected officials or the candidates who want to replace them. And its not as was the very foundation of everything he proposed and won for San Antonio. though we have nothing to talk about. Over 50 acres is opening up on North In just eight years, Cisneros led San Antonio from its identity as a quiet, blue-col- Beach in the coming years as the old Harbor Bridge is demolished, and there is lar and military community with tourism downtown, centered on the Alamono plan to improve this most visible zone of the city. Padre Island remains mostly and then-modest Riverwalk, to a major international destination for visitors, bigbarren, without a single serious hotel or resort. The new managers of the Ameri-events and huge conventions. As the city grew and offered more to its citizens,can Bank Center have told us what weve known foreverthat a convention ho-a larger proportion of the thousands of military personnel stationed there weretel is neededbut they dont know how our former officials treated Bob Rowling.deciding to stay after getting out of the servicethis was the core of the exceed- Until a leader emerges who wants to be Corpus Christis Henry Cisneros, we will ingly capable workforce that San Antonio offered to major employers. continue to trudge along at 1% a year, building the minimum we need for the jobs The San Antonio Riverwalk before the 1980s is not the one you see today. Majorthat are being created, nothing moreand by want, we mean will dotalk is accomplishments were achieved under Cisneros that resulted in the opening ofcheap. There are congratulations to be voiced for extracting much of the Good Ole Rivercenter Mall with an attached 1,000-room Marriott Hotel, along with dozensBoy System that held our city back for 40 years, but if we dont become stronger by of restaurants, nightclubs and smaller hotels. SeaWorld Texas and Fiesta Texastaking on big projects that expand opportunity to everyone, the cancer will return, were won during his tenure. The Alamodome project that included millions toand well be right back where we were before. Now is the time to do. The Editor22THE COASTAL BEND GUIDE TheCoastalBend.com'