Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert confirmed she met with the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars about the teams' "futures in Dallas" following comments made by Mavericks CEO Rick Welts that the team was approached about the City Hall property more than a year ago.
Welts made the comments on Friday during a sports economic panel hosted by the Greater Dallas Planning Council, The Dallas Morning News reported.
According to the News, Welts said Tolbert approached the Mavericks “over a year ago” about the possibility of the City Hall site being available for the team’s new arena.
The team is expected to leave American Airlines Center after summer of 2031.
“Since being named Interim Dallas City Manager and subsequently appointed to the permanent role, I have met with representatives of the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars regarding their futures in Dallas," Tolbert said in a statement. "These discussions have included the teams’ need for a modern fan-friendly arena experience."
She added, "Regarding discussions about the future of city hall, the Dallas City Council directed me to explore options, including the disposition of the City Hall site. It is our practice not to negotiate in the media.”
Residents have speculated that the Dallas Mavericks could be eyeing 1500 Marilla St. as a potential site for its future arena for months.
Earlier this month, Welts told the News there was "no project to talk about until the city would signal to us that there’s something to talk about."
Assistant City Manager Robin Bentley told council members this month that the Mavericks have been eyeing downtown, but they have not heard anything from the team.
City staff are currently looking into options for redevelopment of the City Hall site, real estate options for relocating or leasing, and repair plans for the current City Hall property.
Discussions over the future of City Hall started late last year when city staff revealed the building had millions of dollars of deferred maintenance. A study conducted by the Dallas Economic Development Corporation and engineering consultant AECOM estimate it could cost the city up to $1 billion to fully repair and update the building.
Got a tip? Email Megan Cardona at mcardona@kera.org.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you!
