Visitors stroll and dine along the River Walk on Valentine's Day. Some business owners there want the city to pitch in more funds for the downtown attraction.All around the River Walk, major changes are taking place.
the River Walk Business Group. They want to freshen up the River Walk and make it a place for locals, too.Success! You're on the list. “Our River Walk is thriving,” said Marc Anderson, president and CEO of the tourism marketing agency, in a statement. He described a destination filled with “lush foliage, century-old trees and vibrant public art.”
But new restaurants are going in. Corless and Panchevre are partners in Casa Catrina, a Day of the Dead-themed restaurant set to open right before Fiesta in the old Fig Tree location in La Villita along the River Walk. Corless opened Prost Haus in 2021. Panchevre points to a recent lighting investment as an example of the kinds of low-lift improvements that can still pack a punch. He sits on the River Walk Improvements Advisory Board, which recommends ways to spend the money the city collects from businesses leasing the River Walk’s patio spaces.That revenue stream amounts to about $1.
Aztec Family Group CEO Sam Panchevre, a member of the River Walk Business Group, said he has heard good feedback about equipment installed in the past year that lights up tree canopies along the River Walk.In the past, the income from patio leases has been used to leverage $30 million worth of Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant upgrades to the River Walk, such as replacing stairs with ramps and adding elevators and more lighting.