Last couple of months have been a rollercoaster of emotions for the Mavs. Of course, it all started with Nico Harrison trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers in arguably the most shocking move in league history. It’s all been downhill from there. They barely managed to stay in the playoff race and need to win two play-in games to book a spot in the postseason. Amid that uncertainty, the Dallas fanbase has an even bigger concern to worry about – Losing the Mavs franchise altogether!
Yes, the team’s lease for American Airlines Center expires in 2031. And ever since Mark Cuban sold his majority stake to Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont, many speculate the new ownership could relocate the franchise outside Dallas. Well, they have already revealed their plan of building a new state of the art arena for the franchise, which will be combined with their casino and hotel business. But due to Texas’ gambling restrictions, the plan might not be feasible in Dallas. The most obvious destination in everyone’s mind is Las Vegas.
As fear of losing their beloved franchise rises among Dallas fans, Mavs CEO Rick Welts has given them a huge sigh of relief with his latest comments, “We don’t have a particular location that we feel like this has to be… I think the progress we’ve made to date makes me very encouraged that ultimately, we’re going to find that location within the boundaries of the city of Dallas.” Yes, the Mavs might not be moving to Sin City after all, as Welts’ statement reveals that they plan on keeping the team where it belongs.
However, the CEO is not making any promises until he has something concrete, “We’re not talking about a lot of this publicly because I think it’s better done to try to get a plan and then present a plan than to talk about a lot of what-ifs.” Of course, the Mavs will stay in Dallas at least until their AAC lease expires. The team has already invested a huge sum on the arena as it reportedly cost $420 million to construct in 2001. They also put in an extra $20 million for renovations last November, installing a larger video board and better seats.
Although Vegas seems like a solid option, Welts assured that the management’s priority is to keep the team in Dallas, “Our commitment is to find a location and a solution that’s going to work in the city of Dallas before we would explore anywhere else in the Metroplex.” However, they need to make a decision sooner than you think.
Rick Welts says the Mavs are “on the clock” as Patrick Dumont made his plan clear a long time ago
Although the team has access to American Airlines Center for six more years, they need to finalize the next arena site soon to make it functional by the time the lease is up. Sure enough, Welts understands the urgency, “That may not sound like a long time to you. It’s not. We’re on the clock. We’d like to have an arena site identified within the year. That’s going to be important to be on a timeline to open for the 2031-32 season.”
Dec 25, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; (from left) Mark Cuban and new Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts and retiring Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall and Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont present Marshall with a commerative jersey during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Of course, the plan has been in motion for quite some time and it was one of the reasons Cuban sold the franchise. He revealed in an interview last year, “I couldn’t build a Chase Center if I wanted to. My new partners… that’s what they live for.” Even Patrick Dumont has a clear vision of what the Mavs’ next arena will look like, “You know, there’s always a dream that people have, where you can stay in a top-flight hotel room and then go down in an elevator bank, get something to eat and then walk into the arena and it’s all one space. It’s a pretty unique experience and it’s great for the fans. And so, if we can create a home for the Dallas Mavericks where that’s a possibility, I think that would be pretty good.”
Well, the Dallas fanbase has been through a lot recently and losing the Mavs would be a dagger to their heart. So, they would be hoping that the new ownership and management find a suitable location in the city and the team doesn’t have to look for options like Las Vegas. And that’s what Welts and Dumont are focused on, “We’re going to build absolutely the best facility for the Mavericks going forward. That’s the focus, not dependent whatsoever on casino gambling in Texas.” Thoughts?
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