The election asked not for approval of the arena itself but for five taxes under Proposition A — on tickets, parking, car rentals, hotel rooms and the major league sports teams who will use the arena — to assist the city in paying off $700 million in bonds committed to the proposed $1 billion arena.
The project could move the Stars’ home ice to the site of The Shops at Willow Bend mall, where plans for a sprawling entertainment district with restaurants, retail and housing would surround the arena.
The Dallas Stars intend to lease the arena for 30 years, an attempt to meet season ticket-holders where they are as population growth skews north. The NHL franchise announced plans to leave the American Airlines Center after a legal dispute with the Dallas Mavericks, which prompted twin departures from the Victory Park venue.
The Stars’ corporate entity fought hard for Proposition A, pouring nearly $1 million into a campaign that spread mailers, texts and advertisements across Plano, the latest finance records show.
A few dozen residents against the arena gave $13,000 to the competing Stop the Stars Arena committee, which raised concerns about how the project could add traffic, noise, crime and indirect costs to Plano.
Others objected to taxpayer funds going toward the project and said questions remained unanswered, despite the city’s efforts to study traffic, get feedback from residents and provide information. Some terms are under negotiation and studies are still underway.
Past and current Plano leaders say the project could breathe life into a dormant shopping mall, bringing economic vitality and tax revenues to the mature suburb. The agreement with the Stars will include community benefits, like hosting school graduations and performances at the arena, which Plano will own.
Plano’s $700 million contribution is backed by several funding mechanisms, including a 41-year, nearly 900-acre tax increment reinvestment zone, which the school district has joined. Plano will also pursue a project financing zone in the state Legislature, officials said.
The Stars hope to begin playing in Plano as early as 2031.
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