Dallas Mavericks talk about leaving AAC for Valley View site – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

The Mavericks are discussing their possible move to Far North Dallas at the end of the decade after 25 years at the American Airlines Center.

The plan has sparked debate across the city about what it means for fans, Victory Park, and Downtown Dallas.

Basketball Hall-of-Fame inductee and Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki told reporters he’s not involved in the Mavericks’ front office decisions, including the new arena location.

“I haven’t really been in the Mavs loop much,” said Nowitzki. “Of course, there’s new leadership in place now.”

Nowitzki also did not know what would become of his statue outside the AAC. The Dallas Morning News reports Dirk’s statue, as well as the Stars’ Mike Modano Statue, are moving with the teams to their new arenas. It remains unclear what will happen to the street named Nowitzki Way in Victory Park, and whether a street near the Mavericks’ new arena will be renamed to honor Nowitzki.

The Mavericks said the Valley View Mall site decision came after analyzing several locations, while working with the City of Dallas to identify potential sites for a new arena and entertainment district. Ultimately, the team said the Valley View property met most of the criteria established at the beginning of its evaluation process. The organization said it sees potential for a mixed-use destination anchored by a new arena.

“We spent a year focused on downtown Dallas. We ran out of time,” said Welts. “We have to get this arena completed by the 2031 season. So downtown Dallas is still going to be very important to the Mavericks. That’s why we’re staying in Dallas and choosing to be in the city. So hopefully we can be contributors in some way to whatever the vision of downtown Dallas becomes.”

Dallas city officials have expressed mixed opinions about the decision. Some were happy the team is staying in the city, others have expressed concerns about what it means for Downtown and South Dallas.

Right now, the Mavericks do not plan to have a casino component with the Valley View site; casino gambling remains illegal in Texas.