The Dallas Stars are continuing their expansion tear. Yesterday, the professional hockey team and the Town of Northlake broke ground on a 225,000-square-foot multipurpose athletic facility that will feature two NHL regulation sheets of ice and eight basketball courts that can be converted into 16 volleyball courts.
The $45 million facility is funded through general obligation bonds approved by Northlake voters in November and is expected to welcome an estimated 1.315 million visitors annually. As Dallas Stars President and CEO Brad Alberts puts it, the move marks a “first foray” into the Fort Worth area. “I think it’s a great way to spread not only the Stars brand,” he said, “but to really continue to do what we’re doing and provide high-quality youth sports facilities for hockey, basketball, and volleyball and all the athletes in the metroplex that want to play.”
The milestone is also another notch in the belt for the Stars when it comes to pursuing multi-sport facility opportunities. Building on a foundation of eight youth ice rinks throughout North Texas, the team in late 2022 acquired a 38,000-square-foot property dubbed “The MAC” in Lewisville, which boasts eight USA Volleyball regulation courts, four NBA regulation hardwood basketball courts, a full concession stand, and a food court area.
Then, last November, the Stars and the City of Farmers Branch announced the construction of an 81,780-square-foot facility that is set to house up to eight basketball courts or 16 volleyball courts with pickleball court adaptability. The $20 million Farmers Branch facility, funded by city bonds, is expected to be a home to Texas Advantage Volleyball, which was purchased by the Stars in 2022.
StarCenter Multisport Northlake will be the first of its kind to host the three sports offerings under one roof, Alberts said. He also highlighted the Stars’ recent announcement of a partnership with national basketball platform NY2LA Sports. “They’re going to be making Dallas a hub, utilizing our facilities to bring the highest-quality travel basketball tournaments into the DFW area,” Alberts said.
StarCenter Multisport Northlake will be built by Lee Lewis Construction and is slated for a late fall 2025 open. Alberts said the venue help further expand the game of hockey in DFW and fill a need for supporting other sports in a fast-growing area.
“We’re looking to take advantage of the growth in Texas, where people are moving, where businesses are coming,” he said. “I think this is another perfect example of that. If we do anything else in the future, I think it’s going to look very similar. And some of those may be outside of the DFW area. But I think all those same boxes, we’re looking to check.”
Author
