Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts said this morning that Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert first approached the Mavericks “over a year ago” about City...
Rick Welts said Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert first approached team about City Hall site likely being available for Mavs’ new arena.Rick Welts, CEO of the Dallas Mavericks, speaks to members of the press on the Blue Carpet during a luncheon at Avra on Saturday, Jan.
31, 2026 in Dallas.CEO Rick Welts said Friday morning that Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert first approached the Mavericks “over a year ago” about City Hall likely being an available site for the Mavericks’ new arena and entertainment district. “City Manager Tolbert came to us and said, ‘Look, I’ve got to move out of City Hall. I can’t afford to operate what we do in that building going forward for the taxpayers,’” Welts said during a sports economic panel hosted by the Greater Dallas Planning Council. “And we said, ‘OK, you know that doesn’t have anything to do with us, but at some point in time, you’ll tell us what’s available, and then we can sit down and have a conversation about it.’”“Since being named Interim Dallas City Manager and subsequently appointed to the permanent role, I have met with representatives of the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars regarding their futures in Dallas. These discussions have included the teams’ need for a modern fan-friendly arena experience,” she said in the statement. “Regarding discussions about the future of city hall, the Dallas City Council directed me to explore options, including the disposition of the City Hall site. It is our practice not to negotiate in the media.”When asked to directly address concerns that Welts’ comments suggest a predetermined outcome on City Hall’s future, Tolbert instead defended her record as Dallas city manager saying it’s “no secret that I have aggressively approached problems facing the city.” Tolbert confirmed that she has met with the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars to discuss their needs for modern, fan-friendly arenas and the future of American Airlines Center, as well as the Convention Center and downtown revitalization. She stressed that the decision to repair or move out of City Hall rests with the City Council, and until then, her team will continue discussions with the Mavericks on other matters. “We know Dallas residents are passionate about these topics,” the city manager said in a statement, “and we are working diligently to meet the demands and expectations of everyone invested in the decision-making process and to respond to the City Council’s request for additional work and more information.”Council member Adam Bazaldua said Friday it was as if the city created “a problem in order to furnish a solution, to help the Mavericks.” “That’s why I have been adamant about searching for the truth,” Bazaldua said. He said the process has lacked transparency, and “even the biggest voices in support of justifying this process and being fair and transparent have lied to the public.” Earlier this month, Bazaldua and five other council members pushed city officials to revisit cost estimates and present a detailed plan to compare the cost of repair versus relocation. “This isn’t about nostalgia of a building. This isn’t about a conspiracy theory. This is about a clear, predetermined outcome, and a process that was flawed and was not afforded the proper public input opportunity,” Bazaldua said.Council member Paul Ridley called Welts’ comments “alarming,” noting that it was the first time he’d heard the city manager admit that Dallas couldn’t afford to operate City Hall. “But to have said that a year ago to a sports team executive without authorization from the City Council, to put City Hall on the market, is just astounding,” said Ridley, who represents the downtown area where American Airlines Center sits. “It clearly exceeded her authority and she should publicly explain herself.” Ridley said the discussion with Welts about the City Hall site felt like information that had been intentionally kept from the City Council, especially given the public meetings held since last fall about the building’s future.Council member Paula Blackmon expressed frustration that the discussion about City Hall didn’t originate with the City Council. She also questioned who was truly driving the narrative and making decisions about City Hall’s condition and future, saying she hadn’t seen any formal decision that the building was unfit for use. “It sure sounds like the fix is in, doesn’t it?” said Blackmon. “I mean, who the hell’s in charge? Who the hell is sitting and making these decisions and why?” Blackmon also raised concerns about the quality and transparency of the data being used to justify moving out of City Hall, arguing that much of the information seemed designed to create a predetermined narrative rather than an objective assessment. She questioned why City Hall can’t be integrating into broader plans to revitalize downtown.Council member Bill Roth declined to comment. Council member Jaime Resendez said he had no information about Welts’ statements Friday. “I don’t want to speculate,” he said.As the Dallas Mavericks’ pursuit of a new arena ramps up, Welts pledged to build the best NBA arena in history and reaffirmed that the franchise will do everything possible to build its new home in Dallas. “Dallas is what’s really important,” Welts said during the hourlong panel, which also included Dallas Wings CEO and managing partner Greg Bibb and took place at Park City Club. “Take away anything from today, our commitment is to do everything in our power to build this in Dallas.”The Mavericks plan to move into a new arena when their lease with American Airlines Center expires in 2031. They have narrowed their focus for the new arena to two locations: the 110-acre former home of Valley View and downtown Dallas. “It’s not up to us to decide whether City Hall is available or not,” Welts said. “It definitely would inform the design. ... But we’re waiting for the city. It’s up to the city to decide what’s in the best interest of Dallas taxpayers going forward in terms of the future that building. And we’ll proceed off of that.”To date, Welts characterized discussions with the city as “incredibly productive.” And Welts said the City Council’s 9-6 vote on March 5 to approve a resolution to explore options for leaving City Hall was “very important for us.” He explained that the vote enables the Mavericks and the city to formally discuss what the Mavericks’ 50-acre entertainment district and arena could look like in the downtown footprint if the city opts to move operations out of the 48-year-old I.M. Pei-designed building.“We are now, for the first time, able to actually enter in discussions about what a framework of a deal would look like,” Welts said. “So that was a big step, a big step in the process. We’re on the clock.” Welts explained the timeline to open a new arena in 2031, saying about 30 months of construction needs to begin in late 2028. They expect to announce the site of the new arena by July 1. The arena will operate about 175 days a year with a variety of events, particularly entertainment and basketball games. Welts expects it to be a prime venue for NCAA Tournament regionals and potentially the Women’s Final Four. Welts also outlined his vision for the 50-acre entertainment district. It will include the team’s corporate headquarters, practice facility, restaurants, retail, a 4-star hotel adjacent to the arena and a potential 4,000- to 5,000-seat entertainment venue, with Live Nation already expressing interest in building that.The Mavericks’ current partnership with UT Southwestern, the team’s official medical provider, also could expand to the academic medical center partnering in the future training facility and medical complex. “We’re looking to have it anchored by the best NBA facility that’s ever been created,” Welts said. “To create a facility that will hopefully set a new bar for fan experience as well as player experience.” Welts said the new arena will offer the best premium hospitality experiences, including clubs and social venues. He said the current design of American Airlines Center limits those possibilities and does not cater to the expectations of the modern-day fan. “I think if Dallas had it all to go over again, I think there might have been a little bit of a different approach on American Airline Center,” Welts said. “It does not serve, I think Greg said, the needs or the expectations of a sports fan in 2026 who goes to a professional sporting event. We don’t have any of the hospitality amenities that one would expect in other markets, and I think we’re really looking forward to that.”Kieran Kelliher, who spent 12 years with the Chicago Bulls, says he’s honored to join the Mavericks at ‘critical juncture.’The league’s new collective bargaining agreement will set the 2026 salary cap at $7 million, up from $1.5 million in 2025.Eric Prisbell is the senior sports business reporter at The Dallas Morning News. He spent more than 17 years as a national reporter at The Washington Post, USA Today and Sports Business Journal. Eric is a seven-time APSE award winner; four of his stories received honorable mention recognition in the Best of American Sports Writing anthologies.‘These are my people’: Texas AG Ken Paxton receives heaping of hugs and handshakes at CPAC
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