Stars resolve issues with NBA’s Mavericks over arena dispute
Some tentative peace in Big D, for now.
On Monday, the Dallas Stars and the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks released joint statements stating that the two franchises have resolved “outstanding matters” and that both teams will call American Airlines Center home through the 2030-31 season.
It comes almost a calendar year after Dallas Sports Group, the controlling stakeholder in the Mavericks, filed a lawsuit against the Stars, suing them while accusing the NHL organization of blocking upgrades to the arena, which has existed since 2001. The lawsuit states that the Stars violated the agreement under which the teams jointly operate the city-owned venue. A decision in May designated the Mavericks as the sole operators of the AAC, prompting a countersuit by the Stars.
On top of the operations debacle, the Mavericks’ initial lawsuit claimed the Stars have moved their corporate headquarters to suburban Frisco, which goes against the lease that both teams have at the AAC, which states that the respective franchises must keep their headquarters at the arena through the end of the lease, which just happens to be in 2031. In the Stars’ countersuit, they stated that the Mavericks’ headquarters are based in Las Vegas.
All of this comes as both the Stars and Mavericks are set to be leaving downtown Dallas once their leases wrap up. The Mavericks are set to move to Fort Worth, with the Stars signing a letter of intent to head to Plano. The new $1 billion arena will be part of an entertainment district in the suburbs. The venue will be solely operated by the hockey team, controlling operations and revenue.
The Stars moved to American Airlines Center after spending the first eight seasons in Dallas at the old Reunion Arena. There, the team made it to three straight Western Conference Finals and back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, winning the franchise’s first, and so far only, championship in 1999. At the AAC, the Stars have done well, advancing to the conference final four times. The Stars did make it to the final in 2020, but that came during COVID-19 “bubble playoffs.”
