power play

Dallas Stars skate from downtown toward Plano with new arena plans

Dallas Stars fans will have to hike up to Plano to watch them play.

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The Dallas Stars are planning to move north, out of downtown and to the suburb of Plano in five years after the lease is up at the NHL team's current home arena.

Stars officials announced Tuesday, June 2 the signing of a nonbinding letter of intent to build a new hockey-specific arena and entertainment district about 20 miles north of the downtown American Airlines Center, which they have shared with the Dallas Mavericks since it opened in 2001.

The leases at the AAC for both teams expire in 2031. The two franchises have been in a legal dispute about their partnership agreement and management of the building.

The Stars made their intentions known a day after the Mavericks said they have a preliminary agreement on a site for their own new arena about 10 miles north of downtown, but still within the Dallas city limits. The NBA's team deal is for 104 acres on the former site of Valley View Mall, which was demolished three years ago.

A new arena for the Stars is expected to be part of a large-scale redevelopment project at The Shops at Willow Bend, where the last enclosed mall built in Texas is set for demolition.

The Stars submitted their letter of intent to the city of Plano, which placed it on the City Council agenda for consideration at its next meeting Monday. The letter includes plans for the mixed-used project as well as design and construction of the arena.

“This project would present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our franchise,” Stars owner Tom Gaglardi said in a statement. “We eagerly await the vote by the Plano City Council and look forward to continuing the conversation to be part of the redevelopment of The Shops at Willow Bend.”

That mall on about 90 acres opened in 2001, and there are open restaurants and parking garages in the area. The new arena would anchor the redevelopment that could include sports, entertainment, retail, dining and public gathering spaces.

The NHL franchise was known as the North Stars before moving south from Minnesota and beginning play in Dallas for the 1993-94 season. The Stars in 1999 became the first of hockey's Sun Belt teams to win a Stanley Cup title.

The Stars won that championship while still playing at Reunion Arena, a building they also shared with the Mavericks after first moving to Dallas. The site of that downtown arena, which was fully demolished in 2009, is about a mile from the AAC.

The NFL's Cowboys were in Dallas during the franchise's first 11 seasons at the city's Cotton Bowl (1960-70), but moved to Texas Stadium in Irving in 1971, the season of their first Super Bowl title. They have played since 2009 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Arlington is also home to the Texas Rangers, the franchise that began as the Washington Senators in 1961. The Rangers are in their third stadium in Arlington since moving there in 1972. Globe Life Field, their retractable-roof stadium adjacent to AT&T Stadium, opened in 2020.

More Parks for Dallas

Dallas' Klyde Warren Park to add new pavilion, lawn and seasonal ice rink

Rendering of ice rink on the new Jacobs Lawn at Klyde Warren Park

Image courtesy of Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation

The new Jacobs Lawn at Klyde Warren Park will transform into an ice rink during the winter.

Downtown Dallas' Klyde Warren Park is planning a nearly two-acre expansion over two sections of Woodall Rogers Freeway, adding on a new lawn space, event pavilion, seasonal ice rink, and more.

Announced Monday, June 29, the 1.7-acre expansion will increase the park from 5.4 acres to 7.1 acres, extending it west toward Field Street while covering the final recessed portion of the freeway.

Construction is expected to begin before the end of 2026 and take approximately 24 months to complete.

Here's a closer look at the expansion plans, revealed in a press release:

Park officials say the portion west of Akard Street will feature The Jacobs Lawn, a 37,000-square-foot multi-use green space designed for festivals, markets, performances, civic celebrations, and more.

Klyde Warren Park expansion rendering of The Jacobs Lawn The expansion of Klyde Warren Park will include the new Jacobs Lawn. Image courtesy of Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation

During the winter months, the lawn will transform into an outdoor ice-skating rink, with additional seasonal programming planned throughout the year.

Adjacent to the lawn, the Overlook will allow guests to view city traffic as cars disappear right underneath them, driving home the point of how the park was built on top of one of the busiest freeways in Texas.

Rendering of The Overlook near The Jacobs Lawn at Klyde Warren Park The Jacobs Lawn portion of the expansion of Klyde Warren Park will include The Overlook where visitors can watch traffic pass by. Image courtesy of Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation

Built on the section between Akard Street and St. Paul Street will be a two-level enclosed glass-and-steel pavilion, complete with an open-air rooftop area.

The building will feature approximately 24,000 square feet of climate-controlled event and reception space, along with the 8,000-square-foot rooftop terrace.

Rendering of rooftop pavilion on new glass-and-steel pavilion at Klyde Warren Park A new glass-and-steel pavilion at Klyde Warren Park will include an open-air rooftop pavilion. Image courtesy of Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation

"Fourteen years ago, many people questioned whether building a deck park over a freeway was even possible," said Jody Grant, chairman of Klyde Warren Park, in a statement. "Today, Klyde Warren Park stands as proof of what can happen when a community believes in a bold vision. This expansion isn't simply about adding acreage. It's an investment in Dallas, an investment in the community and an investment in future generations."

Archer Western, the same firm that built the Park's original deck structure, has been awarded the construction contract by the Texas Transportation Commission.

While most traffic patterns surrounding the new sections appear to be unaffected, renderings show that a dedicated U-turn at Akard Street will be eliminated for the Jacobs Lawn portion.

While construction is underway, the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation will launch the next phase of its private fundraising campaign to support the amenities, programming, and experiences that will activate the expanded park upon its completion.

"Klyde Warren Park demonstrates what thoughtful private-public partnerships can accomplish," said Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert in a statement. "Since opening, the Park has supported the generation of hundreds of millions in incremental tax revenue for the City of Dallas. But beyond the numbers, it has created a place where neighborhoods connect, businesses invest and communities come together. This expansion will continue to strengthen our urban core for generations to come."