SWBC donates $1M to Alamo Visitor Center
The Alamo Trust announced a $1 million donation from the SWBC Foundation to help fund a rooftop dining area and event space at the Alamo Visitor Center and Museum, set to open in 2027.
The event space will be called the Charlie Amato and Gary Dudley Vista Club, named for two top executives at the financial services company. Also released was a rendering of the club, which has glass exterior panels providing views of Alamo Plaza and the downtown skyline, including the Alamodome and Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel, in the distance.
The donation to the Remember the Alamo Foundation, an affiliate of the nonprofit Alamo Trust that supports the Alamo and its preservation, educational outreach and public programs, will help fund the rooftop addition, which Alamo officials have said is needed to make the new center financially selfsustaining by providing revenues from sales and rental fees.
The $150 million center is part of a $550 million, public-private project to expand and improve the historic mission and battle site, with narratives reflecting its entire 300 years of recorded history and inclusion of diverse perspectives.
Although the rooftop addition has generated concerns from a few members of the Texas Historical Commission, the trust won the commission’s approval last month after scaling back its dimensions and using materials that are less imposing.
The two-story addition will be added to the historic threestory Woolworth, Palace and Crockett buildings. The 1923 Palace Building has undergone considerable alterations and will be substantially rebuilt. Facades and other portions of the 1921 Woolworth and 1882 Crockett buildings will be retained and incorporated into the center’s design.
A designated area within the rooftop addition will be an “exclusive sanctuary,” the Charlie Amato and Gary Dudley Vista Club, with “breathtaking views of the historic site and the San Antonio skyline,” the trust said. It will host private events and offer a variety of snacks and beverages reflecting “the unique flavors of Texas” for members and visitors during designated hours.
Amato, SWBC chairman, said the club will be a place “where history is both honored and experienced in a new light.”
“We look forward to seeing this project come to life, enhancing the Alamo’s legacy for future generations,” he said.
Dudley, SWBC president, said the donation reflects “our deep respect for the Alamo and its place in our history.” The club will “offer a distinct experience, blending the historic with the modern in a setting that invites reflection and appreciation.”