Letter from Ray Ellison Homes to the Hemisfair Planning Committee Page: 3
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-3-
studies indicate that one expressway mile equals two blocks of down-
town street travel time. The site would therefore be approximately
9 minutes from the downtown area via the Highway 90 West expressway
and the approximate equivalent of 16 blocks of downtown travel from
the central city hotels. Furthermore, approximately one-half of all
available room accommodations in the area are in motels, and the Valley-
Hi site would be directly accessible by expressway from all motels in
the outlying metropolitan area.
Another important factor to consider is the convenience of this
site to the permanent and transient military personnel of the Kelly-
Lackland-Medina Base-Air Force Hospital and Security Service military
complex. Air Force authorities inform us that no less than 356,000
trainees, permanent personnel and transient personnel move through
these bases in the course of a twelve-month period. When it is recalled
that the entire population of Fort Worth is 367,000, Corpus Christi
173,000 and Austin 192,000, it will be seen that a HemisFair center in
Valley-Hi would be literally within walking distance of potential
Visitors, who are already going to be in San Antonio, equal to a city
the size of Fort Worth or twice the size of Corpus Christi or Austin.
3. FREEDOM FROM CONGESTION - As previously mentioned, the pro-
posed location in Valley-Hi would lie at the intersection of two major
expressways connecting the site with all portions of the metropolitan
area. No congestion exists in the surrounding area. This would there-
fore mean that the extra (and probably enormous) traffic loads generated
by the HemisFair and by the permanent convention facilities would not
be superimposed upon an already congested central city street pattern.
4. MAXIMUM UTILITY OF THE SITE TO SERVE THE FUTURE NEEDS OF
SAN ANTONIO - In addition to the factors of access previously mentioned,
any transportation system (such as a monorail) which might be developed
in connection with the HemisFair would also serve the great military
bases in this area on which so much of San Antonio's economy depends.
This would be an obvious advantage over the creation of a transporta-
tion system (such as Seattle's monorail) which would be merely a curiosity
and which would serve no continuing need of the City subsequent to the
Fair.
It also occurs to us that the permanent convention center, located
as it would be adjacent to our large military facilities, could be
made available from time to time for the use of the military to further
establish San Antonio's continued place in the missile and space era
which the Air Force is now entering.
Enclosed herewith are a map and aerial photograph which may be of
some assistance in visualizing the location proposed. At the appropriate
time we will, of course, be most happy to make available such detailed
information as may be helpful to a site selection committee or other
persons whom you may designate.
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Legan, Pat. Letter from Ray Ellison Homes to the Hemisfair Planning Committee, letter, January 2, 1963; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth66528/m1/3/?q=%22%22~1: accessed August 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UT San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.