Weighing Some Pros and Cons of a Potential Dallas Stars Move to Plano

A letter of intent is not nothing

I took this, which is why it’s blurry.

You have surely heard by now, but Tom Gaglardi and the Stars released a statement yesterday confirming that they submitted a non-binding Letter of Intent to the City of Plano that portends a move out of Dallas, presumably when the current lease at American Airlines Center expires in summer of 2031.

Here’s the bulk of the team’s statement:

The Dallas Stars announced today a major step towards a potential new arena in Plano as part of a proposed sports and entertainment district at The Shops at Willow Bend. The organization has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI), which has been submitted to the City of Plano and placed on the agenda for consideration at the Plano City Council meeting on Monday, June 8.

Located west of the Dallas North Tollway, the proposed mixed-use development, being advanced jointly with Levin Holdings & Cawley Partners and Centennial, could include sports, entertainment, retail, dining and public gathering spaces anchored by a future Dallas Stars arena. The project is envisioned as a year-round destination for the community while strengthening the team’s connection to its North Texas fan base.

“This project would present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our franchise,” Dallas Stars Owner, Governor and Chairman Tom Gaglardi said. “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.”

The Letter of Intent includes plans for the mixed-used development project as well as design and construction of the arena.

The Morning News further reported yesterday that Plano will vote next Monday on a proposal to use various means of funding to contribute $700 million toward what will be a $1 billion development project. In other words, the city is considering doing what they did with AT&T recently, tempting a business to relocate with extremely appealing financial incentives.

I’m not exactly Doctor Business™, but if you’re the Dallas Stars, the idea is obviously a whole lot more appealing than getting locked into a long-term lease in American Airlines Center while the Mavericks build a newer arena (and what sounds like a similarly sprawling project) elsewhere in town. Nothing is set in stone yet, but you don’t get this far down the road without a fair amount of research and discussions being done. In all likelihood, this is the most attractive location for the Dallas Stars to play the 2031-32 NHL season, and they appear to be planning to do so as things stand right now.

So, let’s talk about why that move be a fortunate or unfortunate thing, depending on your perspective. We’ll start with some rays of sunshine before getting to the clouds, but let me stress that these points are far from comprehensive, but simply the first things that have come to mind ever since the possibility of the Stars’ relocation first became public knowledge last year.