Plano Delivers Formal Pitch to Dallas Stars for $1B Willow Bend Arena

Dallas City Council Member Chad West said Plano has formally delivered a letter of intent to the Dallas Stars offering to redevelop The Shops at Willow Bend into a new arena complex that could cost about $1 billion and sit on roughly 75 acres at the Dallas North Tollway and Park Boulevard. West told reporters he has been speaking “quite often” with the Stars’ leadership and closed his public remarks with, “Bring on the competition.”

Plano’s pitch envisions an arena anchored development on the struggling Willow Bend mall site where Stars ownership would be expected to contribute an estimated $400 million to $500 million toward the project. The proposal frames the site as an opportunity for the franchise to own revenue generating real estate around the arena, a shift from the team’s current tenancy model at downtown facilities.

Mayor John Muns has publicly pushed the idea as a city priority, saying in December that Plano had “already made an offer to the franchise” and that the city had made the Stars “a really good offer.” Muns added, “We would be thrilled to have an organization like that in Plano. And so, it’s really not up to us. It’s up to them. And we’re hoping that they come to Plano.” Plano officials have not confirmed whether a signed letter was delivered and issued a statement that, because of strong interest and regional competition, the city does not comment on speculation or economic development projects until they are brought to Council for formal adoption.

The Stars’ lease at American Airlines Center expires in 2031, anchoring the timetable for any move. Analysts expect a decision could arrive by mid 2026, a window that would allow a new arena to be under construction and potentially ready for the 2031-32 NHL season. The Stars organization has not signed any publicly disclosed agreement and a Stars spokesperson declined to comment: “Thank you for reaching out. We're going to decline to comment on this matter.”

Chad West framed the development race as broader than Plano, saying, “I think that we, as the City of Dallas, need to take it very seriously that there is at least one city talking to the Stars,” and adding, “I highly believe there's probably others who are as well.” West also identified Dallas City Manager Kimberly Tolbert as an active participant in ongoing negotiations he described between the franchise and Dallas leadership. West noted he has heard other cities express interest, signaling a regional competition for the franchise.

Key uncertainties remain: whether Plano actually delivered a signed letter of intent, whether Stars ownership will commit the reported $400 million to $500 million, who would fund the remainder of the estimated $1 billion redevelopment, and whether Plano will formally bring any proposal to its City Council. If the decision timeline holds, a mid 2026 choice by the franchise could set Collin County on a path toward a major sports and real estate transformation timed to the AAC lease expiration in 2031.