Plano Stars Arena: Did Voters Kill It or Just the Taxes?

By R.J. Morales | tx3dnews

PLANO — Six days after voters rejected Proposition A, Plano residents brought one question to the City Council: What exactly did they say no to?

Opponents said Monday, Nov. 9, that the vote ended the Dallas Stars arena planned for the Shops at Willow Bend. Supporters said voters rejected only one way to pay for it. Council members did not respond.

What was on the ballot

Prop A asked voters to authorize venue taxes on hotel rooms, car rentals, parking and admissions to help pay for the roughly $1 billion arena. About 55% voted no.

The city has committed up to $700 million in bonds, backed by a tax increment reinvestment zone, toward the arena. Prop A revenue would have helped repay that debt.

Mayor John Muns has said that is all voters decided. “The election was specifically about authorizing venue taxes, not whether the arena or redevelopment should move forward,” he told tx3dnews after the vote.

Opponents read the ballot differently. “56,061 people said no to Prop A,” said Diane Williams, who displayed the wording for the council. She added, “Plano voters said no to both parts. The arena and the taxes.”

Jennifer Grossman pointed to the word “and” on the ballot. “An average person reading the proposition would reasonably believe they were asked to authorize the project and the taxes,” she said.

‘Elections have consequences’

Muns cut each of the roughly 20 speakers to 90 seconds. Most opposed the arena.

“The city didn’t give us a vote directly on the arena. So the citizens used the vote they had to express their opinion,” said Larry Joseph.

“Elections have consequences,” Joseph said later. “The city needs to accept the vote and change their plans accordingly.”

Jeremy Matthews, an 18-year resident, asked, “If anyone was for the arena, would they have voted against the venue taxes? I imagine very few, if any.”

Bree Loftus asked, “Why would you eight people ignore the will of the voters and the citizens of Plano?”

Kyle McGuigan, who identified himself as a member of DSA North Texas, told the council, “The sleeping giant has woken up and boy, is it cranky.”

‘Find the funding’

Four speakers asked the council to keep the arena alive.

“I respect the voters’ decision for Proposition A, but the vote was about funding mechanism, not about whether Plano wants the project,” said Matt Digges, a hockey parent who lives near Willow Bend.

Craig Perry, who said he opened the mall as its general manager in 2001, said, “If the arena doesn’t happen, there’ll undoubtedly be another proposal.” He said he would be concerned about “multifamily housing by right or a large data center.”

Ian Driscoll, an Army veteran who moved to Plano in 2018, asked the council to “leave the door open to considering alternate ways of funding this project.”

“Willow Bend Mall is dead,” said Warren Casteel, a 31-year resident. He told the council to “find the funding.”

What comes next

The Stars said after the vote that they will keep working with the city as it pursues a project finance zone, which would require approval from the Texas Legislature. Lawmakers return to Austin in January.

Sean McKenna asked the council not to lobby for the change, directly or through the Victory Green PAC. He said a project finance zone would allow similar taxes without a public vote.

“It would be unethical to seek such funding when the citizens have already rejected a similar measure,” McKenna said.

Karen Dubrow, chair of Stop the Stars Arena, called it a “work around the no vote.”

Williams asked the council to “drop the LOI with the Stars organization,” the nonbinding letter of intent the council approved 8-0. Muns’ responses to tx3dnews did not say whether the letter remains in effect or whether the city will seek the state legislation.

Council Member Steve Lavine said after the election that the council will review the results and “consider our options for Willow Bend’s redevelopment.” No date has been set for that discussion.