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Cuban Will Wait to Decide Whether to Pursue New Dallas Mavericks Arena

Dallas Mavericks

With the team’s American Airlines Center lease running until 2031, team owner Mark Cuban will take a few years to decide whether to pursue a new Dallas Mavericks arena.

Since opening in 2001, American Airlines Center has been home to the Mavericks and NHL’s Dallas Stars. While the Mavericks’ lease does not expire until July 28, 2031, Cuban has expressed some dissatisfaction in the recent past with how new development has taken away parking around American Airlines Center, and took some steps that might ultimately lay the groundwork the pursuit of a new arena. He purchased 14 acres in Dallas’s Design District in March 2016, using a portion of it to construct a new team practice facility by that October.

Early in 2017, Cuban received approval from the Dallas City Council on a zoning change that would allow structures taller than 85 feet to be developed on the property–fueling discussion about whether this could eventually facilitate construction of a new Mavericks arena. For now, however, it appears that it will be years before it is known for sure whether the Mavericks push to build a new facility. Cuban indicated recently that he will spend the next five to six years considering the team’s next step, which could eventually be to pursue a new arena or work with the Stars on American Airlines Center improvements. More from The Dallas Morning News:

“Over the next five, six years I’ll make the decision of whether I want to stay here, if I want to work with the Stars to improve it, or let the Stars have it and build somewhere else,” he told The News. “I haven’t decided anything yet.”

The reason for the five- to six-year timetable, he said, is that if he decided to build a new arena, it would take several years to plan and build before the AAC lease expires. So it would appear that, for now, the Mavericks intend to honor the lease and remain in AAC at least through the 2030-31 season.

Cuban said no renderings have been done for a potential new arena, but he laughed when The News asked if he’s done a feasibility study on the Design District site.

“Oh, it’s definitely feasible,” he said, noting that the property’s footprint is roughly three times larger than AAC’s.

If Cuban does decide to pursue a new arena, the future of the Mavericks would likely be independent from that of the Stars, who are under separate ownership and have expressed satisfaction with American Airlines Center. The arena is currently one of 11 active venues that hosts franchises in the NBA and NHL.

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