The Dallas Mavericks are taking their time choosing where to build their shiny new arena, with the search now narrowed to just two locations within city limits — and a timeline that keeps sliding to the right.
Originally planning to announce a decision by March, Mavericks CEO Rick Welts now says fans will have to wait until early July to learn where the team’s future home will be built. The two finalists? A downtown site possibly near Dallas City Hall, or the sprawling former Valley View Mall property at Preston Road and I-35 that offers a whopping 110 acres of potential development space, according to team officials.
Decision Delayed, But Timeline Still Tight
“But a lot of that is out of our control, out of the city’s control. I’ve been out there saying first quarter [of the year] before. We are not going to make first quarter. Another two or three months after that,” Welts explained about the delayed decision.
Despite the postponement, the organization is feeling pressure to keep things moving. The new arena is planned to anchor a 50-acre mixed-use entertainment district and has a targeted opening date of 2031 — which might sound distant but represents a tight timeline for a project of this magnitude.
“We want to open in 2031. That means we’re on the clock. Sounds like a long time, but for a 50-acre mixed-use entertainment district, an arena, public gathering places, we’re on the clock,” Welts noted.
Two Very Different Options
The choice before the Mavericks represents two dramatically different visions for the franchise’s future. A downtown location would keep the team in the city’s core, potentially revitalizing an area near City Hall and maintaining the urban identity the team has cultivated at the American Airlines Center.
What about the Valley View site? That location offers substantially more space for development and sits at the intersection of major highways, potentially making it more accessible to fans coming from Dallas’s sprawling northern suburbs.
The decision carries significant weight beyond just basketball. With plans for a comprehensive entertainment district surrounding the arena, whichever site gets selected will see billions in investment and dramatic transformation over the coming decade.
The Mavericks aren’t just building a basketball arena — they’re effectively creating a new neighborhood from scratch, complete with restaurants, retail, public spaces, and likely residential components.
While fans eagerly await the announcement, city officials and developers are undoubtedly working behind the scenes to make their case. The economic impact of such a massive development makes this one of the most significant real estate decisions in recent Dallas history.
For now, Mavs faithful will need to practice patience. July isn’t that far away — but 2031 still feels like a distant future for fans dreaming of cheering in a state-of-the-art arena.
