How SeaWorld Came to San Antonio and the Deals That Shaped the City | Marty Wender | Ep. 5

How does a single deal reshape an entire city?

In this episode of Breaking Ground SA, Stephanie Reyes and Rob Killen sit down with legendary San Antonio developer Marty Wender to unpack the stories, decisions, and mindset behind some of the most impactful developments in the city’s history.

From helping bring SeaWorld to San Antonio to developing the west side and influencing major infrastructure projects like Highway 151, Marty shares how he built a career by solving problems others avoided and seeing opportunity where others saw obstacles.

He also dives into the importance of relationships, decision-making under pressure, and why great developers focus on people, not just projects. Along the way, he shares powerful lessons on leadership, resilience, and what it really takes to close transformative deals.

This is a must-listen for developers, business leaders, and anyone interested in how cities grow and evolve.

Topics Covered:

1. (01:00) - Growing up in Fort Worth and early leadership mindset
2. (04:30) - Building a career by hiring great people and listening
3. (10:00) - Finding opportunity in overlooked land and solving problems
4. (14:00) - The deal that launched his career as a developer
5. (22:00) - Why I-10 became San Antonio’s “golden corridor”
6. (28:00) - The inside story of landing SeaWorld in San Antonio
7. (36:00) - Building relationships and closing high-stakes deals
8. (38:00) - Fiber optics, data centers, and long-term vision
9. (41:00) - The Microsoft data center deal and problem-solving strategy
10. (45:00) - “Always tell the truth, but in the right order”
11. (47:00) - How to build trust and long-term business relationships
12. (48:00) - Lessons on leadership, service, and community impact
13. (58:00) - Advice for young professionals: get involved

Links and Resources:

1. RECSA – Real Estate Council of San Antonio

Sponsor Links:

1. Sol Schwartz & Associates

Breaking Ground SA is a podcast of the Real Estate Council of San Antonio (RECSA) exploring the people, projects, and decisions shaping the future of our city.

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