Jan 22, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the Dallas Mavericks logo during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the LA Clippers at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Mavericks CEO reveals details of new arena, whether Stars will be involved

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated May 29, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts has been very vocal about the plans for a new arena. It was essentially the sole reason he was brought in after his responsibilities for the Golden State Warriors' new arena, as well as his overall experience with the NBA, including his work for the NBA All-Star Weekend.

The Mavericks' lease for the American Airlines Center ends at the beginning of the 2030s, and Welts has been honest that they expect to be in a new arena when the time comes. As of now, the Mavericks share the arena with their NHL companion, the Dallas Stars. Will that still be the case moving forward?

Rick Welts revealed in an interview with the Dallas Morning News that the Mavericks' new arena will be a basketball facility only, meaning the Stars will be elsewhere.

“We’re going to build a brand new arena and entertainment district in Dallas to really take us into the next 30 years of our history,” Welts said. “It’s owned by Las Vegas Sands Corporation, the Adelson family. They build amazing, beautiful projects in Asia ... and we’re going to do that in Dallas.”

The Adelson family owns property in Irving, Texas, which has long been rumored to be the next future home of the Mavericks as they build an entertainment district around the arena.

What the Stars will do is still up in the air, but it seems likely that they'll stay in the American Airlines Center. Stars President and CEO Brad Alberts told the Dallas Morning News in April "We like the urban core. We think professional sports fits really well down here,” he said. “We feel that this arena is a really good building. Does it need some improvement? Sure, just like any house that’s 20-some years old.

“But look at this vibrant community that’s built up around the arena because of the activity here. I have great respect for this and the business that has been created because of this being an arena district, so I take that decision — it’s a big one — I take it very highly.”

Both teams have seen success recently, with the Mavericks making the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in 2024, while the Stars have made the Western Conference Finals each of the last three seasons, including this year, and lost in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2020.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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