Mavericks CEO Rick Welts joined the KFAA/MavsTV broadcast during the Knicks game and publicly dropped the deadline to be in a new arena.
DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts made a bold statement on the KFAA/MavsTV broadcast Tuesday night.
It seems the team is looking for a new home, according to Welts.
While speaking on the broadcast, Welts said the Mavericks needed to be playing in a new arena by the 2021-32 season. The burning question is: where will this “new arena” be?
LockedOn Mavs talked about Welts’ comments on their show after the Knicks game:
LockedOn Mavs host Nick Angstadt broke down Welts’ comments:
“We’ve started the process. We’re engaged with the city. Our commitment is to find a home in Dallas,” Angstadt recapped from Welts’ TV appearance. “That’s where we wanna be. That’s where the city wants them to be. We’re going to pursue every possible option to make that happen.”
According to Angstadt, the Mavericks’ lease with the AAC ends in 2031. To quote Welts, Angstadt said the Mavs are “on the clock” to find a new home.
The Adelsons own the plot of land near the old Texas Stadium site in Irving, where they had plans to build a casino resort. The speculation has been this resort development would include a sports arena, where the Mavs would then play its home games.
After the plans sparked protest and pushback from some in the Irving community, an official from Las Vegas Sands Corporation requested that the gambling part of the plan be withdrawn. The amended version of the plan was approved by Irving City Council, but where the project goes from here remains unclear.
The Mavericks have played in two arenas in the team’s history, both in downtown Dallas. From 1981 to 2001, they played in Reunion Arena. From 2002 to present day, the Mavs have called American Airlines Center home.
