Home Sweet Home: Dallas Mavs at Valley View
- Mavericks choose Valley View Mall site for new arena and entertainment district, citing development flexibility and freeway access.
- The 104-acre site is already cleared, simplifying large-scale redevelopment compared to a dense urban location.
- New arena aims to replace American Airlines Center when Mavericks' lease expires in 2031.
Dallas Mavericks Choose Former Valley View Mall Site for New Arena
The Dallas Mavericks have selected the former Valley View Mall site in Far North Dallas/ Addison as the preferred location for a new arena and surrounding mixed-use entertainment district. The team has entered into option agreements to acquire about 104 acres near Preston Road and Interstate 635, marking a major step toward moving the franchise’s long-term home away from downtown Dallas.
This decision appears to be the result of more than a year of evaluation, with the Mavericks saying the Valley View site best fits their development goals, timeline, and need to remain within Dallas city limits. The current American Airlines Center lease runs through 2031, and the team has said it wants the new arena open by then.
What the project includes
The Valley View plan is not just for a basketball arena. Reports describe a larger entertainment district with team headquarters, training facilities, restaurants, retail, public green space, and other mixed-use elements designed to create a destination around the arena.
The site itself is a major reason for the selection. The former mall property is already cleared, which can make large-scale redevelopment simpler than starting from scratch in a dense urban setting. The location also offers strong freeway access and a large land area that supports a broader district-style project.
Why Valley View won out
The Mavericks had been considering multiple options, including a downtown location near Dallas City Hall, but ultimately chose the Valley View property. Public reporting suggests the team saw the North Dallas site as a better match for their size needs, access, and development flexibility.
A downtown arena plan would have tied the team to a more complicated redevelopment effort, while Valley View offers a simpler land assembly and more room for the kind of mixed-use project the organization wants. The location also keeps the team within Dallas, which appears to have been an important factor in the final decision.
Timeline and milestones
Here is the clearest timeline available from current reporting:
History of Valley View
- 1973: Valley View Mall opened in North Dallas as a major suburban shopping center.
- March 8, 2015: 97.9 The Beat had its last broadcast from the mall.
- 2015: The mall is generally considered to have closed.
- January 2022: The last tenant, the AMC theater, closed.
- 2023: Demolition began after years of vacancy and stalled redevelopment.
- Today: The former site is prepared to be the new Dallas Mavericks Headquarters
