Reunion Arena

Reunion Arena
Name	Reunion Arena
Location	Dallas, Texas, United States
Opened	1980
Closed	2008
Demolished	2009
Capacity	17,000–18,000
Owner	City of Dallas
Operator	SMG (later ASM Global)
Architect	Lloyd Jones Brewer & Associates

Reunion Arena was a multi-purpose indoor arena in downtown Dallas, Texas, that operated from 1980 to 2008. It served as a major venue for professional sports, concerts, and civic events, hosting franchises and touring artists that tied Dallas to national networks such as the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, and National Collegiate Athletic Association. The facility became a focal point in the redevelopment of the Dallas central business district and the Reunion district adjacency to Dallas CBD Vertiport and Reunion Tower.

History

Groundbreaking for the project occurred amid urban renewal efforts in late 1970s Dallas, with municipal leaders and private developers coordinating on financing and site selection near the Trinity River corridor and Interstate 30. The arena opened in 1980 as part of a wave of contemporary arenas including Madison Square Garden (1968) and Met Center modernizations. Early in its operation, it became the home court for the expansion Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association and later housed the Dallas Stars following their relocation from Minnesota North Stars in 1993, aligning the venue with major professional sports movements and franchise relocations. The arena also hosted high-profile collegiate events such as the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament regionals and professional boxing under promoters like Don King. Over decades the facility faced debates over public financing, comparisons with newer arenas such as American Airlines Center, and changing expectations for spectator amenities.

Architecture and Facilities

Designed by Lloyd Jones Brewer & Associates with engineering by local firms, the arena exhibited late 20th-century multipurpose design combining a bowl seating arrangement with a flexible floor and stage system used for both concert tour configurations and ice hockey. The roof structure employed long-span trusses enabling unobstructed sightlines similar to contemporaries like Spectrum (arena) and McNichols Sports Arena. The site incorporated loading docks, locker rooms suited to NBA and NHL specifications, and hospitality suites modeled after trends seen at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Technical systems allowed quick conversions between parquet basketball courts and refrigerated ice rinks used by NHL teams migrating from cold-weather markets such as Minnesota. The seating capacity ranged from approximately 17,000 for ice events to over 18,000 for concerts, with acoustics shaped by a proscenium adaptable to headline residencies from entertainers who also performed at venues like Madison Square Garden and The Forum.

Events and Tenants

The arena was the primary home for the Dallas Mavericks from its inaugural seasons through the late 1990s, and for the Dallas Stars after their 1993 move, including the Stars' 1999 Stanley Cup Finals campaign that culminated in a championship celebrated across Texas sports media. It hosted major touring acts spanning genres—rock, pop, country, and hip hop—including residencies and single-night stops by artists comparable to Elton John, Madonna, U2, Garth Brooks, and Prince—figures who also anchored tours at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Rose Bowl Stadium. The arena staged televised events such as regional broadcasts of the NBA Playoffs and boxing cards featuring fighters promoted by Bob Arum and Don King that drew national attention. Collegiate tenants and events included SMU Mustangs and Texas Longhorns games in neutral-site arrangements and NCAA tournament rounds that brought institutions like Duke Blue Devils and University of Kentucky to Dallas-area audiences. The venue also accommodated conventions for organizations such as the American Bar Association and entertainment industry award showcases akin to tours that passed through Staples Center.

Economic and Cultural Impact

Reunion Arena contributed to downtown Dallas’s late 20th-century revitalization by attracting visitors to nearby hotels, restaurants, and the Dallas Convention Center complex, influencing municipal tax receipts and urban planning policy debates paralleling those surrounding venues like Civic Arena (Pittsburgh). It supported employment in concessions, security, and technical production, and served as a platform for national television exposure that amplified Dallas as a regional cultural hub alongside institutions such as the Dallas Museum of Art and AT&T Performing Arts Center. Critics cited the public subsidies and maintenance costs relative to newer, privately financed arenas like American Airlines Center, while proponents emphasized intangible benefits including civic pride during championship seasons and the ability to host touring productions that linked Dallas to national entertainment circuits.

Closure and Demolition

With the opening of the American Airlines Center in 2001, major tenants relocated, accelerating discussions on the arena’s future and leading to intermittent usage for secondary events. The City of Dallas closed the facility in 2008 due to declining bookings, rising maintenance costs, and the absence of a primary tenant. Demolition commenced in 2009 after environmental and logistical preparations, executed through phased dismantling consistent with urban redevelopment precedents such as the removal of The Omni (Atlanta) and McNichols Sports Arena. Debris removal and site remediation prepared the plot for potential redevelopment and infrastructure projects tied to downtown expansion plans.

Legacy and Commemoration

The arena’s legacy persists in Dallas sports history through the championship memory of the 1999 Stanley Cup and the formative seasons of the Dallas Mavericks franchise that later won an NBA Finals title. Memorabilia, archival footage, and oral histories associated with events at the arena are preserved by local institutions including the Dallas Historical Society and sports archives within regional universities. Commemorative efforts have included plaques and retrospective exhibits at nearby landmarks such as Reunion Tower, while urban planners reference the arena in studies of venue lifecycle, public financing, and downtown event-driven redevelopment.

Category:Sports venues in Dallas Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Texas