A day after the Dallas Mavericks announced their potential new home, the Dallas Stars said they’ve taken a “major step” toward a new arena in Plano.
The organization said in a statement Tuesday it’s signed a non-binding letter of intent to build an arena and entertainment district at The Shops at Willow Bend.
“This project would present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our franchise,” Dallas Stars owners Tom Gaglardi said.
Plano confirmed in February it had been in "earnest discussions" with the team for the past year regarding the potential move. The Shops at Willow Bend is a 1.4 million-square-foot indoor shopping center located off of the Dallas North Tollway and George Bush Turnpike. The Stars’ letter of intent outlines plans for a mixed-use development including retail and dining spaces in addition to the new arena.
The letter will go before the Plano City Council next week for consideration.
In a statement Plano Mayor John Muns called the Stars an “iconic North Texas organization."
“We are encouraged by their interest as conversations move forward,” he said.
The Stars’ lease at American Airlines Center ends in 2031. In a statement, Dallas City Council member Adam Bazaldua called the news "disappointing," but said it's not a "setback" for the city.
"We have to work with the circumstances before us, and some factors are simply beyond our control," Bazaldua said.
The Mavericks were awarded full control of AAC earlier this year in a dispute with the Stars over arena maintenance and improvements. The hockey team's headquarters and practice facility is in Frisco.
"I know our City Manager worked diligently to keep the Stars in Dallas," Bazaldua said. "Unfortunately, following their split with the Mavericks, the organization apparently did not believe it could sustain the American Airlines Center on its own."
On Monday the Dallas Mavericks announced they’ve chosen the former Valley View Mall site in North Dallas as the team’s potential new home when their lease ends, also in 2031, after ongoing speculation they were considering City Hall as a possible location.
In a statement, the Mavericks said the long-vacant mall site "meets most of the criteria established at the outset of our evaluation process" and provides an opportunity to keep the team within Dallas city limits.
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.
