American Airlines Center

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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. It opened on July 17, 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On March 18, 1999, American Airlines (AA) announced that it would be acquiring the naming rights for the arena for $195 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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. Afterwards, the team could move to a new arena in Irving, which could be part of a new integrated resort being proposed by Las Vegas Sands.<ref>Las Vegas Sands' resort vision in Irving relies on casino — but what about Mavericks arena?</ref><ref>Irving City Council considering rezoning land owned by Adelson family for possible destination resort, including an arena</ref>

Design

Athena Tacha, ground-plan of PNC Plaza with star fountains, in front of American Airlines Center (Template:Convert, Template:Convert, 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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> PNC Plaza is also the site of the Dirk Nowitzki statue, which depicts the former Mavericks player shooting his signature one-legged fadeaway jump shot.<ref name="sayson">Template:Cite news</ref>

  • 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 in March 2010
    Inside American Airlines Center prior to a Mavericks game in March 2010
  • Inside American Airlines Center during a Stars game in January 2020
    Inside American Airlines Center during a Stars game in January 2020
  • Western entrance of American Airlines Center before game 3 of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs between the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators
    Western entrance of American Airlines Center before game 3 of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs between the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators

Notable events

Sports

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.

See also

References

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