San Antonio approves plan for Alamo Plaza overhaul

The San Antonio City Council on Thursday approved a plan for an overhaul of the Alamo Plaza, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

According to the Express-News report, the council's 9-2 vote authorized a proposal that would close streets in front of the monument, initiate a 50-year agreement for the Texas General Land Office to lease and manage the site and repair the Cenotaph — a 60-foot-tall monument currently located near the center of the Alamo Plaza — and move it about 500 feet south.

"The story of the Alamo is world renowned and represents the core of Texas’ identity today," Land Commissioner George P. Bush said in a Thursday statement. "I look forward to seeing restoration begin, ensuring the Alamo is around for another 300 years."

The vote followed months of contentious debate over the plan, which has drawn backlash from some Republicans in the Legislature who expressed concerns over the feasibility of moving the Cenotaph and various state regulatory requirements required to implement the proposal.

Disclosure: The Texas General Land Office has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.