PLANO, Texas — Plano residents questioned city officials Tuesday about traffic, parking, public transportation and funding for a proposed Dallas Stars arena near Willow Bend, while council members said the city still needs more data before making final decisions.
City Council members Vidal Quintanilla and Bob Kehr faced questions during a three-hour town hall meeting from residents who live near the proposed arena and entertainment district.
Residents raised concerns about neighborhood parking and the effects of increased traffic on nearby streets.
“What are you guys going to do to stop people from parking in my neighborhood, short of putting a gate up?” resident Blair Partlow asked.
The city continues to study traffic conditions and parking options, Quintanilla and Kehr said. The council approved an initial traffic study last month, and Kehr said the city expects results in mid-October.
The city also continues discussions with Dallas Area Rapid Transit about public transportation options for the development.
The Dallas Stars announced plans June 2 for a new arena and entertainment district at the Shops at Willow Bend. The team’s lease at the American Airlines Center expires in 2031.
Plano City Council members approved several measures in June supporting the proposed development, including a nonbinding letter of intent with the Stars. Kehr said Tuesday that the agreement remains unfinished and that he has not decided whether he supports the project.
The proposed 90-acre development would replace the aging Shops at Willow Bend and include a six-acre arena, retail stores, restaurants, residences and offices.
Funding would come through a tax increment reinvestment zone, or TIRZ, which would use sales tax revenue to finance the project. Plano also plans to hold a $700 million bond election in November.
Council members said the bond election would fund the project but would not directly ask voters to approve or reject the arena. If voters reject the bonds, the city could pursue other funding sources, they said.
Quintanilla said voters elected council members to make decisions on projects such as the arena.
Some residents questioned whether the development would fit Plano’s suburban character. Karen Dubrow, who lives near the proposed arena, said an arena would conflict with the city’s Comprehensive Plan.
The plan, adopted in 2021, includes provisions for managing growth while preserving Plano’s suburban character.
“An arena is not suburbia,” Dubrow said.
Other residents supported the project, citing potential economic and entertainment benefits.
Allan Samara, a former member of Plano’s Planning and Zoning Commission, said the arena could expand the city’s tax base and help Plano compete with nearby cities such as Frisco and McKinney.
“We have virtually no entertainment facilities in the city except restaurants,” Samara said.
Kehr said the city wants additional public input and information before deciding whether to proceed with the project.
