Plano Arena Vote: Stars face a two-week deadline
Voters rejected a public financing plan, forcing the team to secure private capital quickly or remain in its current building.
By Lucas Navarro ·
Plano voters rejected Proposition A, a measure that would have provided public financing for a proposed Dallas Stars arena. The defeat leaves the future of the project uncertain, but it does not guarantee the development is dead. City officials plan to reassess financial options and present them to the City Council.
The central question now is whether the arena can move forward without the public money voters turned down. Dallas officials are already signaling their intent to keep the hockey team within city limits. Dallas City Council members Bazaldua and Blackmon said in a statement that their city is ready to negotiate.
“Dallas is the team’s namesake, and we believe Dallas is where they belong,” the council members said. They emphasized their commitment to retaining the franchise, which currently plays in the Dallas metro area.
Steven Haynes, an associate professor of finance and managerial economics at UT Dallas, said the election results signal voter reluctance to take on financial risk for a private organization. He noted that the Stars could explore other options, including securing private investors or scaling back the development. However, he warned that time is running out.
“So there’s still a lot of financial instruments that can be pulled, but the Stars organization has literally a couple of weeks to make this decision or they may be locked back into a long-term lease at their existing location,” Haynes said. This timeline creates pressure for the team to finalize its strategy before lease obligations tighten.
Plano Mayor John Muns said the city is “committed to thoughtful reinvestment and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars as we consider what comes next.” The Dallas Stars released a statement expressing disappointment that Proposition A did not pass but noted confidence in the long-term vision for a city-owned arena project. The team said it looks forward to continuing its partnership with Plano as the city pursues a project finance zone to be created by the Texas legislature.
Karen Dubrow, chair of the Stop the Stars Arena PAC, called the rejection a victory for residents who opposed using public money to finance the project. She noted that the opposition PAC was outspent by over $1 million. “We don’t want it because we don’t think our money should be tied up for 41 years for something that’s not proven,” Dubrow said. She added that the group is keeping its campaign signs in case another issue arises, noting, “We can tape over Prop A.”
