Dallas Mavericks leaving downtown for new Far North Dallas arena site

DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks have chosen a site for their new arena, one that will take the team out of downtown Dallas for the first time in the team's history.

New Mavericks arena site chosen

What we know:

The Mavs have chosen the site of the old Valley View Mall in Far North Dallas to build a new arena and entertainment district.

The team has entered into option agreements to purchase the land, which covers 104 acres near Preston Road and the LBJ Freeway.

Mavericks statement

What they're saying:

"The Valley View site meets most of the criteria established at the outset of our evaluation process. It is our goal to stay in the City of Dallas, and we believe this site provides the strongest opportunity to achieve that goal," the team said in a statement.

"We have the opportunity to create a vibrant mixed-use destination anchored by a state-of-the-art arena, along with restaurants, entertainment options, public green spaces and family-friendly experiences. Done thoughtfully and with community engagement, a project of this scale will serve as a meaningful economic catalyst for Dallas and its residents."

City of Dallas statements

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and Dallas City Manager Kim Tolbert released the following statement on the Mavs' move:

"The Dallas Mavericks' ownership has informed the City that it has signed an option agreement for 104 acres at the former Valley View Mall site for a potential new arena. We applaud the Dallas Mavericks organization for its continued commitment to our city. We will continue working with the Dallas Mavericks throughout this process and will do everything we can to support the team’s enduring partnership with Dallas."

Dallas City Councilman Adam Bazaldua provided the following statement to FOX 4:

"Today, our city received great news that the Dallas Mavericks would remain in Dallas and will be relocating to the Valley View site. This is great news for many reasons. First and foremost, we get to keep our beloved Dallas Mavericks within our city limits, but we also get to develop a site that has been vacant for far too long in a location with economic development tools already in place to infuse money in southern Dallas in the Red Bird community. In addition to these reasons, we cannot ignore that this helps us also preserve and invest in Dallas City Hall.

This is why diligent leadership doesn’t count chickens before they hatch, as demonstrated by some Council Members’ willingness to make a generational decision for an organization that hadn’t yet decided on their new stadium location. I want to thank the Mavericks organization for listening to the clear consensus of the residents of Dallas, in ways that some of their elected leaders refused to do.

Now, more than ever before, I am hopeful that we can have an honest discussion on Wednesday about the state of City Hall and next steps to restore the people’s house. At the very least, we can continue this discussion with no arbitrary time restraints, which should allow for us to get to the best possible outcome for the taxpayers of our city."

Beck Ventures, which owns the land the Valley View Mall site is located on, released the following statement:

"For twelve years, Beck Ventures has been honored to steward the Valley View property while working alongside the City of Dallas and North Dallas neighborhoods with the conviction that this site would one day anchor a transformation of our city. Linda Koop and Tennell Atkins had the foresight to structure the Dallas Midtown and Valley View TIF districts as a barbell, inextricably connecting Redbird and Valley View so that a world-class development at one end of the barbell directly benefits the other, possibly unlocking over $100 million in tax increment available to Redbird Mall and its surrounding communities. The Dallas Mavericks are exactly the kind of transformational partner this vision deserves, and we look forward to seeing them build a world-class basketball arena and entertainment neighborhood that becomes the northern anchor of a stronger, more unified Dallas."

Mark Cuban statement

Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban provided the following statement to FOX 4 on the Mavs' arena decision:

"I like it. It's in the city. Accessible from 635 and the tollway. Lots of positives." 

Search for new Mavs arena site

The backstory:

Mavs CEO Rick Welts had previously stated the team would like to decide their future arena location by July 1. Now, the team has beaten that deadline by a month.

In January, the team reportedly narrowed their search to two locations: the current Dallas City Hall location and the former Valley View Mall site in Far North Dallas.

In April, the Mavs polled season ticket holders on where they would like a potential new arena to be built. That poll featured three options: sites in Downtown Dallas, North Dallas, and a regional suburban location.

The team's interest in Dallas City Hall had been reported for months. Welts told a business luncheon in March he and Dallas City Manager Kim Tolbert had conversations "over a year ago" about using the current Dallas City Hall location for a new arena.

Instead, the team will look to build a new arena outside of Downtown Dallas for the first time in team history. The Mavericks have called the American Airlines Center home since 2001, and formerly played at Reunion Arena in downtown.

What they're saying:

"Go Mavs. Hopefully they’ll bring us good business."

KaiJai Alaman owns Best Thing Flopping, a seafood restaurant near the Valley View Mall site. He tells FOX 4's David Sentendrey he hopes his restaurant will offer a cheaper alternative to the food at the new arena.

"This will be a good pre-game spot. You’re right across the street from the parking lot, you know?"

Alaman isn't concerned about how a new Mavericks arena could affect his rent.

"I wouldn’t put that as a concern. I feel like we can stand on our own and I feel like with the right intentions and the good motives, we can all make money and be successful and make it thrive together," Alaman told Sentendrey. "But, if they come in, of course, we’ll negotiate and try to stay as long as we can."

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