American Airlines Center

The American Airlines Center (AAC) is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the Victory Park neighborhood in downtown Dallas, Texas. The arena serves as the home of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League and Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. The arena is also used for concerts and other live entertainment.

For the arena in Miami formerly known as the American Airlines Arena, see Kaseya Center.
American Airlines Center
AAC
The Hangar
The House That Dirk Built
American Airlines Center in 2011
American Airlines Center is located in Texas
American Airlines Center
American Airlines Center
Location in Texas
American Airlines Center is located in the United States
American Airlines Center
American Airlines Center
Location in the United States
Address2500 Victory Avenue
LocationDallas, Texas
Coordinates32°47′26″N 96°48′37″W
Public transitUS Passenger rail transport Trinity Railway Express Trinity Railway Express
Tram interchange Dallas Area Rapid Transit Dallas Area Rapid Transit:
Green
Orange
at Victory
OwnerCity of Dallas[1]
OperatorCenter Operating Company, L.P.
(a joint venture between the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars)[2]
CapacityBasketball: 19,200, up to 21,146 with standing room
Ice hockey: 18,532, up to 19,323 with standing room
Concerts: 21,000
Field size840,000 sq ft (78,000 m2)
Construction
Broke groundSeptember 1, 1999
OpenedJuly 17, 2001
Construction costUS$420 million
(US$694 million in 2022 dollars[3])
ArchitectDavid M. Schwarz/Architectural Services, Inc.
HKS, Inc.[4]
Johnson/McKibben Architects, Inc.
Project managerInternational Facilities Group, LLC.[5]
Structural engineerWalter P Moore[6]
Services engineerFlack & Kurtz Inc.[6]
General contractorAustin Commercial[7]/H.J. Russell
Tenants
Dallas Mavericks (NBA) (2001–present)
Dallas Stars (NHL) (2001–present)
Dallas Desperados (AFL) (2002, 2004–2008)
Dallas Vigilantes (AFL) (2010–2011)

It was opened in 2001 at a cost of $420 million.

History and construction

By 1998, the Dallas Mavericks, then owned by H. Ross Perot Jr., and the Dallas Stars were indicating their desire for a new arena to replace the aging and undersized Reunion Arena. Dallas taxpayers approved a new hotel tax and rental car tax to pay for a new arena to cover a portion of the funding, with the two benefiting teams, the Mavericks and the Stars, picking up the remaining costs, including cost overruns. The new arena was to be built just north of Woodall Rodgers Freeway near Interstate 35E on the site of an old power plant.[8][9]

On March 18, 1999, American Airlines (AA) announced that it would be acquiring the naming rights for the arena for $195 million.[10][11] AA is headquartered in nearby Fort Worth and is based at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. From its opening in 2001 until 2013, the AAC had the then-current AA logo; thereafter the AAC has used the current AA logo.[12]

The first event occurred the next day with an Eagles concert. On the next night, the arena hosted the last show of Michael Flatley's Feet of Flames tour. The first sporting event took place on August 19, 2001, with the Dallas Sidekicks of the World Indoor Soccer League taking on the San Diego Sockers.[13]

The AAC includes a practice court for the Mavericks, who used it for regular practices until 2017 when a separate facility was built in the Dallas Design District near the arena.

The Mavericks' lease on the AAC runs through to 2031, and once it runs out owner Mark Cuban has considered a new arena to replace the AAC.[14]

Design
Athena Tacha, ground-plan of PNC Plaza with star fountains, in front of American Airlines Center (2,000 sq ft (190 m2), 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m2), in collaboration with SWA)

Principal design work was carried out by the Driehaus Prize winner and New Classical architect David M. Schwarz of Washington D.C. American Airlines Center was designed to be the heart of a new urban, commercial area designed to reinvigorate the city of Dallas called Victory Park. The facility itself features a conservative, traditional design with sweeping brick façades and smooth arches. The interior includes retractable seating, public art and a technological arena. Because of the Quonset hut-like appearance of its roof and the fact that American Airlines holds the naming rights some fans have come to refer to it as "The Hangar".

PNC Plaza

On the south side of the arena, PNC Plaza (formerly called Victory Plaza[15] and AT&T Plaza) serves as the principal entrance into the facility. Designed by artist Athena Tacha in 2000, the plaza provides an open space with fountains flanked by retail and office buildings. With several HD video displays from Daktronics mounted on the side of the arena and office buildings, the plaza is often used for outdoor events and movie showings.[16]

  • American Airlines Center-Mavericks Victory Party for NBA Championship 2011
    American Airlines Center-Mavericks Victory Party for NBA Championship 2011
  • Inside American Airlines Center prior to a Mavericks game
    Inside American Airlines Center prior to a Mavericks game
  • Inside American Airlines Center during a Stars game
    Inside American Airlines Center during a Stars game
  • Western entrance of the American Airlines Center before game 3 of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs between the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators
    Western entrance of the American Airlines Center before game 3 of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs between the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators
  • American Airlines Center during warmups before game 3 of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs between the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators
    American Airlines Center during warmups before game 3 of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs between the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators

Notable events

Sports
  • American Airlines Center hosted the opening round of round-robin matches of New Japan Pro-Wrestling's G1 Climax series on July 6, 2019.
  • The arena also hosted the Junior Gold Championships Opening Ceremony. The Junior Gold championships is an annual bowling tournament every July, for the best youth bowlers in the country and in the world.
  • American Airlines Center hosted first and second round games of the 2006 and 2018 NCAA men's basketball tournaments. For the NCAA women's basketball tournament the American Airlines Center hosted the Finals in 2017 (will host again in 2023), along with the regional semifinals/finals in 2016 and 2011.
  • Two Mavericks games in early 2022--one against the Timberwolves on March 21 and a playoff against the Golden State Warriors on May 24--had to be delayed when the roof developed a leak.[27]

In film and TV
  • The AAC was pictured in The Simpsons episode "The Burns and the Bees" as "Dallas Arena".
  • On Tuesday, June 21 and Wednesday, June 22, 2011, it played host to the Dallas audition stages in the first season of the Fox singer search program The X Factor.

Other information
  • Built on and in the shadows of the former Dallas neighborhood of Little Mexico, the beginnings of the Mexican American population in the Dallas area.
  • A few weeks after the first event, it was found that the glass installed in the bathrooms was not the same as what was originally intended. Many who drove by the arena complained they had a clear view into the restrooms. The glass was quickly changed to the correct type the next week.

References
  1. "#6 Dallas Mavericks". Forbes.com. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  2. "The Most Trusted Place for Answering Life's Questions". Answers. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  3. 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  4. "Experience Places". Hksinc.com. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  5. "American Airlines Center". International Facilities Group, LLC. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  6. "Architects, Contractors, and Subcontractors of Current Big Five Facility Projects". SportsBusiness Journal. July 20, 2000. Archived from the original on June 22, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2011.
  7. "Special Report: What's On Deck?". SportsBusiness Journal. June 30, 2001. Retrieved September 18, 2011.
  8. "Overview". American Airlines Center. March 18, 1999. Archived from the original on January 29, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  9. Brick, Michael (May 1, 2002). "COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE - Downtown Dallas Project Mired in Disputes". The New York Times. Dallas (Tex). Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  10. "American and the Arena Group Announce Agreement To Name New Dallas Facility American Airlines Center". American Airlines Center. March 18, 1999. Archived from the original on October 18, 2006. Retrieved October 25, 2006.
  11. "Owners Add Upgrades to American Airlines Center". American Airlines Center. Archived from the original on October 18, 2006. Retrieved October 25, 2006.
  12. Maxon, Terry (26 August 2013). "Old AA logo comes down at American Airlines Center and new one goes up". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  13. "2001 Season Opening Night: Dallas Sidekicks 6 San Diego Sockers 5 (OT) at the American Airlines Center". Kicksfan.com. August 19, 2001. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  14. "Mark Cuban Once Crashed the NBA's Party. Now He Hosts It". 22 January 2020.
  15. Press Release. "Stars, American Airlines Center, PNC Bank announce multi-year partnership". NHL.com. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  16. "Entertainment Venue – American Airlines Center". American Airlines Center. Archived from the original on 2008-07-30. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
  17. "2011 NBA Finals: American Airlines Series, The Rematch". Zimbio. May 28, 2011. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  18. Hemlock, Doreen (May 27, 2011). "American Airlines is NBA Finals Winner, with Arenas Bearing its Name in Miami and Dallas". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  19. "Dallas Stars to Host 2007 NHL All-Star Game" (Press release). Dallas Stars. January 23, 2007. Archived from the original on April 27, 2006.
  20. "UFC 103 in Dallas a sellout with 17,428 attendees, $2.4 million estimate gate". MMAjunkie.com. Archived from the original on 2012-06-30. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  21. Matt Erickson (17 November 2013). "UFC 171 heads to American Airlines Center in Dallas on March 15". MMAjunkie.com. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  22. UFC (January 20, 2015). "UFC returns to Dallas in March with two title fights" (Press release). Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  23. Newswire (January 24, 2017). "UFC 211 headed for Dallas, will take place May 13". mmafighting.com. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
  24. Steven Marrocco (2018-07-08). "UFC announces rest of 2018 schedule from September through end of year". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  25. Mahjouri, Shakiel (July 30, 2022). "UFC 277 results, highlights: Amanda Nunes regains bantamweight title with thorough beating of Julianna Pena". CBS Sports. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  26. "2016 Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions takes center stage beginning Sept. 15". usagym.org. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  27. Callie Caplan (May 24, 2022). "American Airlines Center roof leak delays Mavs-Warriors Game 4". Dallas Morning News.
  28. Matthew Wells (2023-08-06). "Paul vs. Diaz results: Jake Paul undeterred by Nate Diaz's antics en route to unanimous decision". MMAjunkie.com. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
Events and tenants
Preceded by Home of the Dallas Mavericks
2001 – present		 Succeeded by
current
Preceded by Home of the Dallas Stars
2001 – present		 Succeeded by
current
Preceded by Host of the NHL All-Star Game
2007		 Succeeded by
Preceded by NCAA Women's Division I
Basketball tournament
Finals Venue
2017		 Succeeded by
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