As a self-imposed July deadline to choose a new arena site approaches, Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts said Tuesday that conversations with lawmakers about building in downtown Dallas “can accelerate now.”

The Mavericks plan to leave the American Airlines Center, where they are co-tenants with the NHL’s Dallas Stars, in 2031. The Mavericks want to build a basketball-only arena with a surrounding entertainment district.

Last week, Welts revealed that Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert suggested to him a little more than a year ago that the Mavericks’ development project could go where the aging City Hall building is currently located. He clarified the nature of that conversation on Tuesday.

“She told me that it could cost hundreds of millions of dollars to renovate City Hall,” Welts said. “And it could be that the city would have to consider moving out of City Hall. That really was the summation of our conversations.

“We have the ability now to talk to the city about a potential framework of a deal. That’s something we hadn’t been able to talk to the city about before. That process is ongoing.”

In early March, the Dallas City Council voted 9-6 in favor of exploring the possibility of leaving City Hall, a 47-year-old I.M. Pei-designed concrete structure that resembles an inverted pyramid.

Welts has been clear that the Mavericks want to stay in Dallas. If the Mavericks aren’t able to work out a deal to develop land downtown, it’s possible the team could head to a site in North Dallas, where the old Valley View Mall was located.

Welts, a 73-year-old NBA Hall of Famer whom Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont convinced to come out of retirement to oversee the team’s new arena efforts, said the Mavericks need at least 50 acres of land to complete the project.

“I think what we’re envisioning is one of the biggest sports developments that’s ever taken place,” Welts said. “Over 50 acres. We’re talking hotels. We’re talking retail. We’re talking a new arena. A new practice facility. Wherever this is built, it spurns additional development in that area. And that’s a real benefit. We are super excited about downtown. We are on the clock. I think that’s going to be our biggest challenge at this point. We will know by July where we’re going to be.”

During his 10-year run with the Golden State Warriors, Welts oversaw the construction of the Chase Center in San Francisco that opened in 2019. That process took seven years to complete, which is why Welts feels urgency to decide on a new arena site by this summer.

Welts’ first day on the job in Dallas was Jan. 1, 2025. One month later, the Mavericks traded superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package centered around Anthony Davis. Former general manager Nico Harrison — the driving force behind the deal — was fired in November 2025. The Mavericks then traded Davis to the Washington Wizards this February. They have reset their roster around Cooper Flagg, last year’s No. 1 draft pick, who scored 49 points in a January game against the Charlotte Hornets, the most by a teenager in NBA history.

“I hope Cooper Flagg is MVP of the NBA Finals, and we have a banner hanging in the arena,” Welts said. “Every reason that I chose here out of retirement, every one of those reasons still exist today. This franchise should stand toe to toe not just with any franchise in the NBA but any franchise in sports. We have the ability to recruit talent here. A growing community unlike any in the country. A business-friendly environment that allows organizations like us to do well while doing good.”

Welts said the vetting process to hire a permanent new head of basketball operations is underway, with Dumont running point. The Mavericks want to make a decision ahead of the draft in June. The team will consider internal and external candidates. Since Harrison’s firing, Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley have served as co-interim general managers of the team.

“There’s no specific set of characteristics. I can tell you there is a variety of candidates who present a variety of different personalities. Different track records. It’s the most important decision that the organization is going to make for the coming seasons,” Welts said. “So we are going to take our time and get it right.”