Dallas Stars present plan for multi-sport complex in Anna; city staff to prepare bond election materials

Representatives of the Dallas Stars on March 11 presented a proposal to the Anna City Council for a privately operated, public-partnership multi-sport complex that would include two ice sheets, roughly 16 volleyball courts, eight basketball courts, pickleball courts and a restaurant, and said the organization would shoulder operations and capital needs under a long-term lease.

The presentation, led by Brad Alberts, president and CEO of the Dallas Stars, laid out the firms’ experience operating similar “Star Center” facilities across the Dallas–Fort Worth area and said the centers are generally profitable. Alberts said, “Not 1 of our facilities operates at a loss,” and described a model in which the Stars handle capital expenditures and day-to-day operations so the city does not carry those responsibilities.

City Manager Henderson told the council that staff will continue working with the Dallas Stars and “prepare to move forward with a bond election for this item in November” and will provide information to neighbors to aid public decision-making. That statement was presented as staff direction; no vote to call a bond election was taken at the March 11 meeting.

Why it matters: The proposal would add a large regional recreation and tournament venue to Anna that proponents say can drive hotel, restaurant and retail spending during tournaments and regular programming. Dallas Stars presenters pointed to recent projects in Northlake and Farmers Branch as examples of demand and economic activity generated by similar facilities.

Key details presented and discussed - Facility scale and layout: presenters showed a 225,000-square-foot rendering with two ice sheets, 16 indoor volleyball courts, eight basketball courts, exterior pickleball courts and a second-floor viewing area overlooking courts and ice. - Attendance estimate: Alberts’ presentation listed an annual anticipated visitor figure of 1,300,000 for the Northlake project used as a precedent. - Cost example: Alberts referenced a Northlake project figure of about $65,000,000 in total cost (Northlake was cited by presenters as a comparable project). - Funding mechanisms discussed: presenters and Hilltop Securities’ Jim Sabonis outlined common approaches used elsewhere, including a general obligation bond election, certificates of obligation for infrastructure, use of hotel-motel (hotel) tax and economic-development (EDC/CDC) sales-tax mechanisms to support financing and maintenance. - Local operations proposal: Stars representatives said the organization would operate and maintain ice plants, janitorial services and capital improvements over the lease term, and said they work to match lease payments to a city’s debt service schedule when bonds fund projects.

Council questions and follow-up items Council members asked about location (presenters said they are looking near U.S. 75, in the Jones 7540 area), the restaurant concept (a sports-bar concept called “Shark Club”), public-programming access for youth and adult sports, and whether the facility could reserve community hours. Alberts said the Stars can program public-facing hours, adult hockey leagues and dedicated community usage windows; he said programming details and pricing would be negotiated in the lease and operations agreement.

Financial follow-up: Jim Sabonis of Hilltop Securities described how Northlake structured financing: a $22 million general obligation bond and a $16 million certificate of obligation for associated infrastructure, and said the typical approach for privately partnered projects is to align the tenant’s lease payments with the city’s debt service so the city does not levy additional tax increases unless lease payments are not met.

Public comment: At the start of the meeting, resident Edward Cullum told the council he has experience with several Star Center locations and said, “I think it'd be a really good addition for Anna,” expressing support for bringing the facility to the city.

Next steps: Staff said they will continue meetings with the Dallas Stars, flesh out key points raised by council members, prepare materials for neighbors, and develop information related to a possible bond election in November if the council chooses to pursue that path. No final agreement, ordinance or bond measure was approved at the March 11 meeting.