Mavericks\u00a0sued\u00a0the hockey franchise in late October<\/a>, alleging the Stars were in breach of a clause in their 1998 franchise agreement that requires their corporate headquarters to be located within the city of Dallas. The Stars, who relocated to Texas in 1993, have played at American Airlines Center since it opened in 2001 and have had their headquarters in Frisco since 2003.<\/p>\nA judge sided with the Mavericks on every significant issue in the case before it reached trial, giving the NBA team control of the arena. The Stars filed an appeal last month.<\/p>\n
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The roughly 90-acre mall property at 6121 W. Park Blvd. emerged as the favorite to land the NHL franchise when the Stars began exploring options outside Dallas last fall. The Stars spoke to at least eight other cities about relocating, including Frisco, The Colony, Arlington and Fort Worth.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlano has built a reputation as a city that welcomes world-class partners and community-focused investment,\u201d Plano Mayor John Muns said in a statement. \u201cThe Dallas Stars are an iconic North Texas organization, and we are encouraged by their interest as conversations move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Plano City Council will be asked to approve several measures regarding the move, including the letter of intent to open negotiations for terms for the arena.<\/p>\n
The larger mixed-use district, being advanced jointly with Levin Holdings and Cawley Partners and Centennial, could include sports, entertainment, retail, dining and public gathering spaces centered around the new arena. The letter of intent includes design plans for the arena.<\/p>\n
Under the proposed agreements, the city would own the site and the arena and enter into an initial 30-year lease agreement with the team. The terms are to be negotiated, according to city documents.<\/p>\n
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The cost of constructing the arena is estimated around $1 billion or more, according to city documents, and the city plans to contribute $700 million in funding through bonds backed by revenue from a tax increment reinvestment zone.<\/p>\n
The 1.4-million-square-foot Shops at Willow Bend, the last enclosed mall built in Texas, opened in 2001. Despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent by previous owners, the mall has struggled to attract sufficient shoppers and stores.<\/p>\n
The most recent plans called for mixed-use development with less retail space. The Neiman Marcus department store at the location is set to close by the beginning of 2027. Another anchor, Macy\u2019s, backed out of the mall last year and Dillard’s closed earlier this year.<\/p>\n
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Dallas Stars fan reach for a t-shirts tossed to the crowd after a victory over the New York Rangers in an NHL hockey game at American Airlines Center on Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Dallas.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News![\"Dallas]()
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Dallas Stars fan reach for t-shirts tossed to the crowd after a victory over the New York Rangers in an NHL hockey game at American Airlines Center on Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Dallas.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News![\"The]()
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The Shops at Willow Bend are seen on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Plano.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News![\"Aerial]()
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Aerial view of The Shops at Willow Bend, with the Dallas North Tollway at bottom, on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Plano.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News![\"The]()
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The Neiman Marcus is seen with empty spots in the parking garage at The Shops at Willow Bend on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Plano.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News![\"Empty]()
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Empty spots in the parking garage at The Shops at Willow Bend on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Plano.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News![\"Sunlight]()
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Sunlight streams into a vacant storefront facing West Park Boulevard in front of The Shops at Willow Bend on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Plano.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News![\"The]()
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The closed Macy\u2019s department store is seen with empty spots in the parking garage at The Shops at Willow Bend on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Plano.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News![\"The]()
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The closed Macy\u2019s department store is seen at The Shops at Willow Bend on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Plano.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News![\"Traffic]()
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Traffic passes on West Park Boulevard near an entrance to the The Shops at Willow Bend on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Plano.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
Why not American Airlines Center?<\/p>\n
Brad Alberts, the Stars CEO and president, said in the fall that the team would need to begin construction in 2028 or 2029 to be ready for the 2031-32 season.<\/p>\n
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The 1999 Stanley Cup champion Stars believe the move will unlock new revenue streams that best position the franchise for long-term sustainability, enhance the fan experience and enable them to remain perennial championship contenders. Alberts told The News in October that the team was seeking to build an arena and surrounding entertainment district that would create \u201c365-day revenue.\u201d<\/p>\n
That would be \u201cessential to the health of sports and entertainment businesses, especially NHL businesses that depend on local revenue far more than others,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the biggest problem that we have with staying in Dallas is that we don\u2019t have that. We don\u2019t control any of the real estate outside of the building. We\u2019re looking for that opportunity that can create 365-day-a-year revenue outside and also have an incredible in-venue, in-arena experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
In November, Alberts told The News a Collin County home could address four specific financial pain points the team confronts at American Airlines Center. He believes the new arena would enable the franchise to tap into dollars from the mixed-use entertainment development; cut luxury suite inventory in half to 50; innovate sponsorship assets; and increase premium seating inventory by as many as 4,000.<\/p>\n
The News asked Alberts whether he believed it was possible to sufficiently address the team\u2019s economic pain points with American Airlines Center as constructed.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIf we\u2019re going to stay in a hockey-only arena [if the Dallas Mavericks leave when the AAC lease expires in 2031], you\u2019ve got to significantly reimagine that arena,\u201d Alberts said. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to be prepared to position this arena for the future, not where it\u2019s been \u2014 and that\u2019s going to take a significant financial investment in order to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alberts made clear that, barring unforeseen large-scale renovations to American Airlines Center, which would likely cost more than half a billion dollars, the Stars believe they need to move or risk being left behind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bob Heere, a University of North Texas professor of sports management and director of UNT Sports Innovation Space, said consumer habits and advancing technology have rendered American Airlines Center outdated in the 25 years since it was built.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmerican Airlines Center is beautiful, it\u2019s historic, but it\u2019s very limited in meeting the demands of the 21st century,\u201d Heere said.<\/p>\n
One primary issue has been the scarcity of premium seating, which for Stars games is located behind the glass and on the suite levels. It affords those fans other perks a growing number of consumers expect: high-end hospitality experiences, enhanced food and beverages and premium club access.<\/p>\n
The Stars want fewer luxury suites \u2014 which are located between the upper and lower bowls and usually seat 12 to 18 people in their own private space \u2014 to create more space for bars, restaurants and social areas.<\/p>\n
In a typical year, the Stars generate between $230 million and $245 million in revenue \u2014 roughly middle of the pack among NHL teams \u2014 team executives told The News.<\/p>\n
One NHL document, which the Stars showed The News, details how they significantly lag behind fellow NHL teams in revenue per game from premium seating. Despite the size and affluence of the Dallas-Fort Worth market, the Stars rank 29th out of 32 teams, generating $257,000 per game. That\u2019s less than half the league average of $520,000 per game.<\/p>\n
Alberts believes the shortfall points directly to the incongruent match between the turn-of-the-century American Airlines Center and the modern-day demands of the NHL team\u2019s business model.<\/p>\n
The Stars would seek to create as many as 4,000 more premium seats in Plano, Alberts said. In turn, the added inventory would require additional in-venue premium clubs.<\/p>\n
\u201cDallas is a premium market,\u201d Alberts said. \u201cWe want to be able to meet that expectation, meet that demand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alberts also believes a new arena will enable the franchise to innovate sponsorship assets, thus generating additional revenue. For the 2024-25 season, the Stars had 109 brand partners, with the average deal worth between $380,000 and $445,000, according to data provided to The News by SponsorUnited, a data analytics firm that provides market intelligence on sports sponsorship deals.<\/p>\n
Victory Park, the entertainment district surrounding AAC, doesn\u2019t provide the Stars with revenue because the team does not own the real estate. The Stars harbor ambitions larger than what the Texas Rangers created with their mixed-use district, Texas Live!, in Arlington. Restaurants, apartments and a hotel are on the Stars\u2019 wish list, along with a brick-and-mortar Stars\u2019 Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n
In a November interview with The News, Alberts painted a picture of the fan experience he envisioned in a new home.<\/p>\n
With a new arena, he said, you could see a lower venue ceiling, have more seats closer to the ice, enjoy more premium club experiences, benefit from more audio and entertainment bells and whistles, as well as high-quality food and beverage offerings both within and surrounding the arena \u2014 all coming together for an immersive environment that projects itself as the home of the Stars.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we were to create our own immersed environment [in a new arena], you are really going to feel that this is the home of the Stars in a much-improved fashion than what you do now,\u201d Alberts said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of things \u2014 not just how can we generate more money \u2014 that would lead to people that love Stars hockey to go, \u2018Wow, this is incredible.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
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Fans depart the American Airlines Center after an NHL hockey game between the Dallas Stars and the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Dallas.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
Legal battle with Mavs persists<\/p>\n
The Stars\u2019 decision to find a new home comes as their legal wrangling with the Mavericks persists.<\/p>\n
In October, the Mavericks filed suit against the Stars in Texas Business Court, alleging the Stars violated their franchise agreement with the city of Dallas that requires their primary headquarters to be located within city limits.<\/p>\n
The Mavericks sent the Stars a letter and $110 in cash in October 2024, alerting them of the breach and of their intention to take over the Stars\u2019 interest in Center Operating Company, the joint venture between the franchises that operates American Airlines Center.<\/p>\n
For the past year, the Stars have not had access to their quarterly arena proceeds. The Stars say the amount is \u201cin the tens of millions.\u201d The Mavericks told The News their arena distributions are also frozen.<\/p>\n
Related:\u00a0Mavericks-Stars legal skirmish won’t play out in high-profile trial, after all. What’s next?<\/a><\/p>\nThe shared-revenue pot includes revenue from third-party events as well as dollars from brands that sponsor both teams. When companies or individuals purchase suites for all American Airlines Center events together \u2014 Mavericks\u2019 and Stars\u2019 games and concerts \u2014 those dollars are filtered through Center Operating Company before being split 50-50 between the Mavericks and Stars, executives said.<\/p>\n
Ten other NHL teams share arenas with NBA teams \u2014 Los Angeles, Denver, Detroit, Washington, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto, Boston and Utah \u2014 but most of those marriages are not nearly as financially complicated as the one in Dallas.<\/p>\n
The Stars filed a counterclaim saying the Mavericks had no right to claim a breach of agreement \u2014 only the city could \u2014 and that they cannot claim the Stars\u2019 interest in Center Operating Company until a court finds the Stars breached certain obligations owed to the city.<\/p>\n
The NHL team later alleged the Mavericks violated their own franchise agreement with the city when they changed their principal location to Las Vegas in 2024 during Mark Cuban\u2019s sale of the team to Miriam Adelson and the Dumont family.<\/p>\n
Texas Business Court Judge Bill Whitehill did not side with the Stars on those issues and gave the Mavericks control of AAC as the appeal process plays out.<\/p>\n
The Stars are the second major professional sports team the city could lose after the Cowboys moved from the Cotton Bowl to Texas Stadium in Irving in 1971 and even farther to AT&T Stadium in Arlington in 2009. The Texas Rangers have never played in Dallas, residing at three ballparks in Arlington since 1972.<\/p>\n
The Mavericks also plan to leave AAC after 2031 and have narrowed their focus to the Valley View Center property, a sprawling 110-acre site at the corner of Preston Road and Interstate 635.<\/p>\n
Following the Mavericks’ move to Valley View and the Stars’ to Plano, none of the four major professional sports teams would play their home games downtown.<\/p>\n
“While this news is certainly disappointing, I would not characterize it as a setback for Dallas,” Dallas council member Adam Bazaldua said. “What is most disappointing is that Dallas taxpayers supported this franchise for decades. Our residents invested in its success, and many will feel that the loyalty and support they provided was not fully reciprocated. That said, the future challenges and responsibilities associated with this decision now belong to Plano.”<\/p>\n
Council member Chad West, chairman of the City of Dallas’ ad hoc professional sports committee, noted that the Stars’ letter of intent with Plano is nonbinding.<\/p>\n
“The City of Dallas must prepare itself to work with the Dallas Stars in a way that makes staying in their namesake city a win for the franchise and its fans,” he said.<\/p>\n
Staff writers Lilly\u00a0Kersh, Devyani Chhetri and Everton Bailey\u00a0contributed to this report.<\/p>\n
CORRECTION, 10:50 a.m., June 3: The original version of this story incorrectly stated when\u00a0Macy’s left the Shops at Willow Bend location.\u00a0Macy’s closed in 2025; Dillard’s closed in early 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Aerial view of The Shops at Willow Bend, with the Dallas North Tollway at bottom, on Thursday, Feb.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":600729,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5117],"tags":[57285,196,147,5278,5,4,65747,197,65733,65729],"class_list":["post-600728","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-dallas-stars","tag-brad-alberts","tag-dallas","tag-dallas-stars","tag-dallasstars","tag-hockey","tag-nhl","tag-sports-mavericks","tag-stars","tag-tp-american-airlines-center","tag-tp-plano"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nhl\/116765204639771654","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/600728","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=600728"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/600728\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/600729"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=600728"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=600728"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=600728"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}