Bexar County receives $4.7 million state grant to preserve land around Randolph Much of the land targeted for purchase belongs to developer Gordon Hartman.

Gordon Hartman (right), best known for creating Morgan’s Wonderland, laid the foundation for pro soccer in San Antonio. Gordon Hartman (right), best known for creating Morgan’s Wonderland, laid the foundation for pro soccer in San Antonio. Photo: Bob Owen /San Antonio Express-News Photo: Bob Owen /San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 48 Caption Close Bexar County receives $4.7 million state grant to preserve land around Randolph 1 / 48 Back to Gallery

Bexar County has received a $4.7 million state grant to buy land around Randolph Air Force Base to protect it from development.

Much of the land targeted for purchase belongs to developer Gordon Hartman, founder of the Morgan’s Wonderland theme park, Bexar County Commissioner Kevin Wolff said.

Last fall, the county and City Council agreed to a plan to spend $9 million each to buy Toyota Field from Sports, Outdoor and Recreation, a nonprofit created by Hartman, with plans to use the stadium to attract a major-league soccer team. Spurs Sports & Entertainment will chip in another $3 million and will lease the stadium from the city and county.

“This is us as a local community being military city U.S.A. and meaning it,” Wolff said in a phone interview. “We want to keep (Randolph) here because that’s a lot of jobs.”

The grant comes from the state’s Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant Program, which is intended to help military communities that have been hurt “by a change in defense contracts or an announced change,” according to the state’s website.

The county and federal governments will also contribute money to buy land around Randolph, Wolff said.

rwebner@express-news.net