After a partnership of nearly 25 years, the NHL Dallas Stars and NBA Dallas Mavericks are parting ways.

Each team currently calls the American Airlines Center home, but their leases expire in 2031.

Negotiations to keep the teams together at the Center have apparently failed. Each is now on the hunt for a new home within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

The separation isn’t going smoothly and has been complicated by multiple allegations and legal actions since 2024.

These have continued as recently as last month and may carry on for months to come.

Legalities aside, the Mavericks are moving on and are now considering several locations for their own dedicated basketball facility. Meanwhile, the Stars are said to be looking at building a $1 billion arena on the site of the Shops at Willow Bend mall in Plano, 20 miles north of downtown in Collins County. 

If the Stars do go ahead and develop arena plans for Plano, it would come as welcome news for the area.

Plano’s 107-acre Willow Bend property and its 104 million square foot shopping mall opened in 2001, just weeks before September 11. The development struggled from that point on, despite a core of high-end retailers like Neiman Marcus, Foley’s, Dillard’s and Lord & Taylor.

Willow Bend has undergone several ownership changes over the years, each with promises for updates and changes.

The most recent acquisition proposed a massive redevelopment under the name The Bend. This would see over 500,000 square feet of retail space convert to a mixed-use destination featuring apartments, offices, green space and revamped retail.

However, these are currently on hold.

The arrival of the Stars could transform both the mall and the Collins County area. If it goes ahead, the team wants 75 acres for its new proposed arena. Some observers say decisions are expected by mid-2026 so that a new arena can be ready for the 2031-2032 season.

However, the Stars themselves remain tight-lipped on any potential location.

In a statement to The Athletic, the team said it is, “continually evaluating all options for the home of our franchise in North Texas.”

Stars president and CEO Brad Alberts reiterated this, telling The Dallas Morning News last month, “We do not have a deal with Plano. We don’t have any of that. We are in discussions with them. We’re also in discussions with other cities…There’s no favorites at this point. We’re all just doing our work.”
For their part, the Mavericks are reportedly looking for a 30 to 50 acre site to build their dedicated basketball arena, with a decision forthcoming next year. Several locations have been suggested, including the site of the now-demolished Texas Stadium in Irving, a Dallas suburb northwest of downtown. Now owned by the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, the site was approved for rezoning this spring for a resort casino and arena.

Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts has hinted strongly his preference for the Irving location. Referencing an interview with the Dallas Morning News, the team’s website quoted Welts saying, “We’re going to build a brand new arena and entertainment district in Dallas to really take us into the next 30 years of our history. It’s owned by Las Vegas Sands Corporation, the Adelson family. They build amazing, beautiful projects in Asia … and we’re going to do that in Dallas.”

The Adelson family own a controlling interest in the Mavericks as well.

Another possibility could see the Mavericks’ new home being part of the $3.7 billion Kay Hutchison Convention Center redevelopment. Also under consideration is a site on a portion of the now-undeveloped Valley View Center. This would be within the proposed 450-acre Dallas International District that has plans for housing, a retail district and a Central Park-like green space. Some even speculate that a location adjacent to the Dallas City Hall might work, despite the shortage of parking in the area.

Locating and building a new arena or stadium is not simply about construction or sports, says the Star’s Brad Albert.

“Sports entertainment is becoming a real estate business. In our market, where you’ve got a real opportunity to take advantage of that, I think it’s important. Creating 365-day revenue, I feel, is essential to the health of sports and entertainment businesses.”