The American Airlines Center (AAC) is a multi-purpose arena, located in the Victory Park neighborhood, near downtown Dallas, Texas.
The venue serves as the home to the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association, and the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League. The arena is also used for concerts and other live entertainment. It opened in 2001 at a cost of $420 million.
History and construction
By 1998, the Dallas Mavericks, then owned by H. Ross Perot, Jr., and the Dallas Stars were indicating their desire for a new facility to replace the dated Reunion Arena. Dallas taxpayers approved a new hotel tax and rental car tax to pay for a new facility to cover a portion of the funding, with the two benefiting teams, the Mavericks and the Stars, picking up the remaining costs, including cost overruns. The new arena was to be built just north of Woodall Rodgers Freeway near Interstate 35E on the site of an old power plant.
On March 18, 1999, American Airlines announced that it would be acquiring the naming rights for the arena for US$195 million. American Airlines is headquartered in Fort Worth and is based at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
The first event occurred the next day with an Eagles concert. On the next night, the arena hosted the last show of Michael Flatley's Feet of Flames tour. The first sporting event took place on August 19, 2001, with the Dallas Sidekicks of the World Indoor Soccer League taking on the San Diego Sockers.
Principal design work was carried out by David M. Schwarz Architectural Services of Washington D.C. American Airlines Center was designed to be the heart of a new urban, commercial area designed to reinvigorate the city of Dallas called Victory Park. The facility itself features a conservative, traditional design with sweeping brick façades and smooth arches, and has been graced with a number of awards (below). The interior includes retractable seating, public art and a state-of-the-art technological arena. Because of the Quonset hut-like appearance of its roof and the fact that American Airlines holds the naming rights some fans have come to refer to it as "The Hangar".
On the south side of the arena AT&T Plaza (also called Victory Plaza) serves as the principal entrance into the facility, designed by artist Athena Tacha in 2000. The plaza provides an open space with fountains flanked by retail and office buildings. With several high-definition video displays from Daktronics mounted on the side of the arena and office buildings, the plaza is often used for outdoor events and movie showings.
After the Dallas Desperados played their first season in the AAC, they moved to nearby Reunion Arena and played there for their second season. For their third season, they moved back to the AAC, where they played until the league folded.The AAC hosted the Big 12 Basketball Tournament in 2003, 2004 & 2006.The PBR hosted a Built Ford Tough Series bull riding event at the AAC, annually, between 2005 & 2009.American Airlines Center, as well as American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida, hosted the 2006 NBA Finals, in which the Dallas Mavericks were defeated in six games by the Miami Heat. This was both teams' first appearance in the Finals. Because American Airlines held the rights to both venues in the final, the series was nicknamed by some as the "American Airlines series".Hosted the 55th National Hockey League All-Star Game on January 24, 2007.Co-hosted the 2011 NBA Finals (Games 3, 4, and 5) with American Airlines Arena in Miami (the same venues as the 2006 Finals), a rematch of the 2006 championship series against the Miami Heat. It was both teams' second appearance in the Finals, and this time the Mavericks won in 6 games.On Saturday June 18, 2011, it played host to Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum.UFC 103 was held at the Center on September 19, 2009. UFC 171 was hosted at the Center on March 15, 2014. UFC 185 was held at the Center on March 14, 2015.The Dixie Chicks performed during their Top of the World Tour on July 6, 2003, with Michelle Branch as their opening act. It was at this show that lead vocalist Natalie Maines received a death threat, saying she'd "be shot dead" at this concert, due to her controversial comment toward President George W. Bush (himself a Texas resident, which was actually the basis for the comment).Cher performed at the arena on March 26, 2014. The concert was part of her Dressed To Kill Tour.Madonna stopped at the arena for her MDNA Tour on October 20, and 21st, 2012. It was her first time in 22 years to visit Dallas. She last stopped by on her Blond Ambition World Tour in 1990, performing at Reunion Arena.Janet Jackson stopped here on her All For You Tour in 2001 and her Rock Witchu Tour in 2008. She also performed at the arena for her Unbreakable World Tour on January 24, 2016.Green Day performed here on August 20, 2005 during their American Idiot World TourRush recorded their Clockwork Angels Tour CD and DVD music video at the arena in November 28, 2012.Miley Cyrus performed in the arena for the first time on October 18, 2009 during her Wonder World Tour selling out a crowd of over 15,000 people. She then returned to the arena on March 12, 2014 during her highly anticipated Bangerz World Tour selling out 14,136 seats and grossing over $900,000.American singer/songwriter P!nk performed at the arena for the first time on the 23rd of September, 2009 on her Funhouse Tour. She also performed at the arena again on the February 22, 2013 on her The Truth About Love Tour.Metallica performed at the arena on September 29, 2009 as part of their World Magnetic Tour supporting their album Death Magnetic.Barbadian pop singer, Rihanna performed at the arena for the first time on July 8, 2011 on her Loud Tour. She was scheduled to perform at the arena again on the April 16, 2013 on her Diamonds World Tour, but rescheduled for November 11, 2013.Justin Bieber brought his Believe Tour to the arena on October 29, 2012 to a sold-out crowd.American R&B singer Beyoncé performed at the arena for the first time on July 13, 2007 with her The Beyoncé Experience Tour. She visited the arena again with her I Am... Tour on July 5, 2009. She is also performed two sold out dates with her third world tour, The Mrs. Carter Show, on July 6 and December 9, 2013.American Pop superstar Lady Gaga performed at the arena for The Monster Ball Tour on July 22 and 23 of 2010, and once again on March 14, 2011. She also visited the arena with her Born This Way Ball on January 29, 2013. She recently performed at the arena for her artRAVE: The ARTPOP Ball, on July 17, 2014. She is scheduled to come back to the arena as part of her Joanne World Tour on December 8, 2017.Katy Perry brought The Prismatic World Tour to the arena on October 2 & 3, 2014 to two sold-out crowdsCountry Superstar Garth Brooks brought his world tour here on September 17 and 18, 2015.Ariana Grande brought The Honeymoon Tour to the arena on October 11, 2015. She will return to the arena for the Dangerous Woman Tour on April 9, 2017.AC/DC performed on February 23, 2016 during their Rock or Bust tour, which was one of lead singer Brian Johnson's last shows.Adele performed two sold out shows at the arena on November 1 & 2, 2016.Built on and in the shadows of the former Dallas neighborhood of Little Mexico, the beginnings of the Mexican American population in the Dallas area.A few weeks after the first event, it was found that the glass installed in the bathrooms was not the same as what was originally intended. Many who drove by the arena complained they had a clear view into the restrooms. The glass was quickly changed to the correct type the next week.The AAC was pictured in The Simpsons episode "The Burns and the Bees" as "Dallas Arena".On Tuesday, June 21 and Wednesday, June 22, 2011, it played host to the Dallas audition stages in the first season of the Fox singer search programme The X Factor.On Monday, September 14, 2015, Republican Party presidential candidate Donald Trump held a campaign rally in the arena.
