RED MCCOMBS, WHO DIED THIS WEEK AT 95, PLAYED A LARGER ROLE IN SHAPING THE CITY OVER THE...
On ExpressNews.com:As a major force behind the 1968 fair, he helped lay the groundwork for San Antonio’s modern convention and tourism industry. He recounted, in the “Hemisfair ’68” book, having a “cuss fight” with Ford Motor Co. President Lee Iacocca over the phone, trying unsuccessfully to persuade him to open a much-needed pavilion at the fair.
“He enjoyed the deals. He was so smart in so many things — and a quick study. It didn’t take him long to study a deal,” said Marty Wender, a local developer who counted McCombs as a mentor and friend. “He came across as kind of a good old boy but, believe me, he was sharp as a tack.”McCombs’ impact can be felt strongly on the far West Side, one of the fastest-growing parts of San Antonio.
“He had the biggest pockets in town,” Rohde said. “He’s a deal junkie. He loved real estate. That’s one of his loves: Cars, real estate and oil. And sports, of course.”SeaWorld’s owner at that time, the textbook publisher Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, had considering building a park on a couple of local sites but was starting to get cold feet after deciding the area’s clay soils would make construction too costly, Wender said.
“I went directly to him and said, ‘I think that a strategic alliance of my skills with your backing and political connections, and advice and experience, would be a really powerful combination,’” he said. “We started slowly, but gained momentum. Red, I think, began trusting my skills and putting more coal to the fire.”
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