For nearly a quarter-century, the American Airlines Center (AAC) has been the epicenter of Dallas sports, a shared kingdom for the NBA's Mavericks and the NHL's Stars. But the once-stable partnership that has defined Victory Park is crumbling. The two franchises are now locked in a bitter legal feud, trading lawsuits and public accusations in a high-stakes corporate drama that puts the future of their cohabitation, and the arena itself, in jeopardy. A jury trial, now set for January 2026, looms over Dallas, promising to bring this simmering dispute to a boil.

At the heart of this conflict lies a complex web of contracts, accusations of bad-faith negotiations, and fundamentally different visions for the future. The Mavericks, under the new majority ownership of the Adelson and Dumont families, are on the offense, accusing the Stars of breaching a foundational agreement from 1998. The Mavs' central claim is that the Stars violated a clause requiring both teams to maintain their corporate headquarters within the city of Dallas. The Stars moved their headquarters and practice facility to the suburb of Frisco in 2003.

Citing this decades-old move, the Mavericks initiated what they see as a legitimate contract execution. In October 2024, they sent the Stars a letter—reportedly with $110 cash—to trigger a buyout clause, asserting their right to take over the Stars' 50% interest in the Center Operating Company, the joint venture that manages the AAC. Since then, the Mavericks have frozen the Stars' share of the arena's quarterly proceeds, a figure the Stars claim is in the "tens of millions."

The Stars, however, have painted this maneuver as nothing short of a "hostile takeover." They immediately filed a counterclaim, arguing that the Mavericks have no right to unilaterally declare a breach and seize control. According to the Stars, only the City of Dallas, a third party to the original arena agreements, has the authority to enforce that specific clause. They also contend that their Frisco facility is used in conjunction with their principal office in Dallas, thereby not violating the agreement. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has publicly backed the Stars, calling the Mavericks' lawsuit "frivolous" and accusing them of using "bullying tactics" to pressure the hockey club.

This legal skirmish didn't erupt in a vacuum. It appears to be the culmination of a failed negotiation to renovate the AAC. According to the Mavericks and the City of Dallas, a $300 million renovation deal was on the table. This deal would have seen the Mavericks and the city split the cost, with the Stars contributing nothing financially but agreeing to extend their lease at the AAC through 2061. The Mavericks claim the Stars backed out of this agreement.

The Stars vehemently deny this version of events, stating they never agreed to those terms and that any such deal would have required them to share in the renovation costs. They maintain they were open to a shorter lease extension through 2035. Days after this larger deal collapsed, the Mavericks formally cited the headquarters breach and seized control of the Stars' operating stake. This timeline suggests the contract dispute is less about a 20-year-old office move and more about leverage in a high-stakes real estate negotiation.

The City of Dallas has curiously sided with the Mavericks, affirming the contract breach. However, this raises the awkward question of why the city seemingly overlooked the Stars' alleged violation for over two decades, only to recognize it at the precise moment the Mavericks' renovation plans fell apart.

The structure of these multi-tenant arena partnerships is typically designed for stability, not conflict. Teams form a joint operating company to manage the building, sharing everything from event scheduling and staffing to revenue from concessions, parking, and non-team events like concerts. This symbiotic relationship relies on mutual trust and cooperation. The current situation in Dallas is a textbook example of how quickly such partnerships can sour when one party feels the other is not acting in good faith, especially when billions of dollars in franchise value and future development are on the line.

With their joint lease expiring in 2031, the long-term outlook is uncertain. The Mavericks have made it clear they intend to move to a new, basketball-only arena in Dallas. The Stars, now feeling pushed out, are exploring their options, which include remaining at the AAC as the sole major tenant or potentially moving to a suburb like Plano, where a new billion-dollar arena has been discussed.

For now, the battle is confined to the courtroom. But the outcome of this legal standoff will have massive implications for both franchises, their fans, and the city of Dallas, potentially ending one of the longest-running arena partnerships in professional sports and reshaping the landscape of the city's sports scene for decades to come.