Mavs pick Valley View site for new Far North Dallas arena

The Dallas Mavericks have chosen the former Valley View Mall property in Far North Dallas as the preferred site for a new arena and mixed-use entertainment district, a decision that would shift the NBA franchise’s home base away from downtown after more than two decades at American Airlines Center.

A multibillion-dollar arena anchored by a cleared mall site

Publicly available information indicates that the Mavericks have executed option agreements covering roughly 104 acres of the 110-acre Valley View Mall site near the interchange of Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway and the Dallas North Tollway. The location, long targeted for a large-scale redevelopment known as Dallas Midtown, is already largely cleared, giving the team a rare expanse of contiguous land within city limits.

The organization has outlined a vision for a next-generation sports and entertainment district that would include a new multipurpose arena, team headquarters, training facility, hotel, retail and restaurant space, as well as public gathering areas. Earlier city submissions from the team emphasized the need for more than 50 acres to support a year-round destination that could host basketball, concerts and other large events across the calendar.

The move to Valley View would keep the franchise formally inside Dallas while relocating its home court roughly 13 miles north of its current downtown-adjacent arena. Reports indicate that the site was selected after more than a year of studying potential locations across the city, including downtown parcels that ultimately could not be assembled at the scale the team sought.

Far North Dallas emerges as the city’s new sports hub

The Valley View site sits in the Far North Dallas area, a broad swath of the city that has seen sustained growth in corporate campuses, upscale retail and dense residential development. The property is surrounded by established neighborhoods, major office centers and regional shopping destinations clustered along LBJ Freeway and the Dallas North Tollway.

Observers note that situating the arena in Far North Dallas would place it closer to affluent residential pockets in and around Preston Hollow, North Dallas, Addison, Plano and Frisco, where many corporate partners and season-ticket holders are concentrated. The decision aligns with a wider trend in North Texas sports infrastructure, as several franchises and practice facilities have gravitated toward the northern suburbs over the past decade.

At the same time, the choice reinforces Dallas’ position relative to its suburbs. With the Mavericks intent on remaining within city limits at Valley View, the new arena would become one of the few major-league venues still carrying a Dallas address as other teams explore or commit to suburban sites.

Lease timeline sets clock on American Airlines Center era

The Mavericks and the NHL’s Dallas Stars currently share American Airlines Center, which opened in 2001 and has served as the region’s primary indoor arena for games and concerts. Their leases at the building run through 2031, creating a natural deadline for any new facility to be ready.

According to published coverage and team-facing documents, the Mavericks have been working on a 2031 target for opening a new arena, using that timeline in fan surveys and focus groups about future amenities and locations. The Valley View decision would give planners roughly five years to move from conceptual master plans and land agreements into detailed design, permitting and construction.

While American Airlines Center remains the Mavericks’ home for the foreseeable future, long-range planning has already begun to shift toward what comes after the lease expires. The new Far North Dallas project, if it advances as envisioned, would mark the second major relocation in franchise history after the team moved from the now-demolished Reunion Arena to its current site more than two decades ago.

Transportation, access and neighborhood impact under scrutiny

The selection of Valley View has drawn immediate attention to transportation and access in a part of the city already known for heavy traffic. The site is bounded by LBJ Freeway and sits near the Dallas North Tollway, two of the region’s most congested corridors during peak hours. Public comment and online discussion highlight concerns that event traffic could further strain the area without significant upgrades.

The apparent lack of direct rail transit to the site has also become a central talking point. Unlike American Airlines Center, which is served by light rail and commuter lines, the Far North Dallas location would rely heavily on highways, surface streets and any future bus or shuttle connections that might be added as part of the development.

Urban planners and neighborhood voices are watching closely to see whether new infrastructure, road improvements or transit links are incorporated into formal proposals. The scale of the planned entertainment district suggests that city planners, transportation agencies and the team will need to coordinate closely on traffic management, parking design and pedestrian access to avoid bottlenecks on event days.

Downtown Dallas faces new questions about its sports identity

The Mavericks’ decision represents a significant setback for efforts to keep the franchise’s next arena in or near downtown. Earlier discussions around a potential downtown site, including concepts involving the current City Hall area, generated substantial debate over land use, public space and historic architecture, and ultimately did not advance to a detailed proposal.

With the Mavericks now focused on Far North Dallas and the Stars pursuing a separate arena project in Plano, downtown’s role as the region’s central sports destination is poised to diminish. American Airlines Center, once a symbol of downtown’s resurgence, could see its long-term future reconsidered if both major tenants eventually depart.

Civic leaders and urban advocates are likely to pivot toward what comes next for the Victory Park and downtown districts should the arena era there wind down after 2031. Possibilities range from repurposing the existing building to redeveloping surrounding land for offices, housing or other mixed uses. The Mavericks’ move to Valley View, if finalized and built as planned, would mark a turning point not only for the franchise but also for how Dallas defines its urban core in relation to major-league sports.