Reunion Arena was the beating heart of Dallas sports and entertainment for nearly three decades. Located at 777 Sports Street in the Reunion district of downtown Dallas, Texas, this $27 million indoor arena opened on April 28, 1980, and quickly became one of the most beloved multi-purpose venues in the American South — hosting Stanley Cup Finals games, NBA All-Star events, and concerts by some of the biggest touring acts of the era.
From the Dallas Mavericks’ first dribble in 1980 to Brett Hull’s triple-overtime Stanley Cup clincher, and from Queen filming a music video on its hardwood floor to Barack Obama packing the seats on the presidential campaign trail, Reunion Arena’s 28-year run was defined by unforgettable moments before its demolition in November 2009.
Quick Answer
Reunion Arena was built in downtown Dallas, Texas — groundbreaking was March 15, 1978, and it officially opened April 28, 1980. Its capacity was 18,190 for NBA basketball, 17,000 for NHL hockey, and up to 19,070 for center-stage concerts. Reunion Arena is no longer standing: it closed June 30, 2008, and demolition was completed November 17, 2009. The site is now known as Reunion Park and is slated for a $5 billion mixed-use redevelopment by Hunt Realty Investments.
Stats at a Glance
Location: 777 Sports Street, Dallas, Texas | Opened: April 28, 1980 | Closed: June 30, 2008 | Demolished: November 17, 2009 | Basketball Capacity: 18,190 | Hockey Capacity: 17,000 | Concert Capacity: up to 19,070 (center stage) | Construction Cost: $27 million | Architect: Harwood K. Smith & Partners | Primary Tenants: Dallas Mavericks (NBA, 1980–2001), Dallas Stars (NHL, 1993–2001) | Stanley Cup Finals: 1999 (Games 1, 2, 5) and 2000 (Games 3, 4, 6)
Construction and Design: When Was Reunion Arena Built?
Ground was broken on March 15, 1978, and the arena was completed at a cost of $27 million — roughly equivalent to $106 million in today’s dollars. Designed by the Dallas firm Harwood K. Smith & Partners with HKS, Inc. as structural engineer, the building was constructed by general contractor Henry C. Beck Co. It opened to the public on April 28, 1980, with the Dallas Mavericks playing their first NBA season there that fall.
Reunion Arena holds a notable design distinction: it was the last NBA or NHL arena built without luxury suites, a decision that gave it a democratic, fan-forward atmosphere but ultimately limited its long-term revenue. The building retained its original American Sign & Indicator scoreboard for years before Sony Jumbotron screens were installed in 1991 to modernize the in-game experience.
Reunion Arena Capacity
Reunion Arena seated 18,190 spectators for NBA basketball and 17,000 for NHL hockey. For live music, configuration options ranged from a 9,663-seat half-house to 18,630 for end-stage shows and a maximum of 19,070 for center-stage setups — the format many headlining acts preferred for its 360-degree sightlines.
The flexible capacity and in-the-round staging options made Reunion Arena a perennial favorite on major concert touring routes throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Its ability to scale from intimate club-style shows to nearly 20,000-seat spectacles set it apart from single-purpose venues of the era.
Sports Teams and Tenants
The Dallas Mavericks called Reunion Arena home from their NBA debut in 1980 through the 2000–01 season — a 21-year run. The Dallas Stars, who relocated from Minnesota in 1993, played at Reunion Arena through that same final 2000–01 season. Both franchises moved to the newly opened American Airlines Center in 2001, ending the arena’s run as a major professional sports venue.
The Dallas Sidekicks indoor soccer team were longtime tenants from 1984 until going inactive in 2004, making them the arena’s final major occupant. The building also hosted the Dallas Texans arena football franchise and several short-lived roller hockey and indoor soccer teams over the years. After 2001, a non-compete clause tied to the new American Airlines Center restricted which events Reunion Arena could book, directly accelerating its financial decline and eventual closure.
Championships and Defining Sports Moments
Reunion Arena was the site of some of the most electric moments in Dallas sports history. The 1999 Stanley Cup Finals brought the Dallas Stars to the brink of their first championship on home ice: Dallas hosted Games 1, 2, and 5 against the Buffalo Sabres at Reunion Arena before Brett Hull’s famous triple-overtime goal in Game 6 at Buffalo’s Marine Midland Arena clinched the Cup on June 19, 1999.
The Stars returned to the Finals in 2000, hosting Games 3, 4, and 6 at Reunion Arena against the New Jersey Devils. Dallas lost the series in six games, but the two consecutive Finals appearances remain the pinnacle of the building’s hockey legacy. On the basketball side, Reunion Arena hosted the 1986 NBA All-Star Game on February 9, 1986 — won by the Eastern Conference 139–132, with Isiah Thomas earning MVP honors before a crowd of 16,573 — as well as the 1986 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four.
The arena also served its community in crisis. On September 11, 2001, it opened immediately as an emergency blood drive location. In 2005, following Hurricane Katrina, Reunion Arena and the adjacent Dallas Convention Center functioned as primary shelters for approximately 14,000 evacuees from the Gulf Coast.
Concert History: A Stage for Legends
Reunion Arena’s concert history spans nearly every major genre and generation of popular music from 1980 through 2008. Artists who performed there include Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Prince, Pink Floyd, Queen, U2, Van Halen, Bon Jovi, Madonna, Elton John, David Bowie, Dire Straits, Depeche Mode, Gloria Estefan, Mötley Crüe, Journey, R.E.M., Frank Sinatra, Radiohead, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, and Whitney Houston, among many others.
The arena made music history even before its first sold-out show. Queen filmed the music video for ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ on its floor on August 9, 1980 — just months after opening day. The very first musical performance in the building was by Parliament-Funkadelic on May 9, 1980, though The Who’s July 2, 1980 show was more widely promoted as the inaugural concert event. In 1989, Metallica broadcast a live show from Reunion Arena that fans bootlegged widely before an official release.
On February 20, 2008 — just four months before the arena’s final closure — then-Senator Barack Obama held a presidential campaign rally that filled the venue to its 17,000-person capacity, with additional supporters turned away at the door by fire safety regulations. It was one of Reunion Arena’s largest single-event crowds in years, and a fitting final chapter for a building built on the idea of bringing Dallas together.
Reunion Arena Demolition: Closure and Teardown
After the Mavericks and Stars left for American Airlines Center in 2001, Reunion Arena struggled to sustain itself financially. The non-compete clause with the new arena limited its booking options, and the building was running operating deficits by 2007. The Dallas City Council voted unanimously to close the facility, and its doors shut permanently on June 30, 2008.
Prior to demolition, the arena’s contents were auctioned off to the public — including a 1993 Zamboni ice resurfacer from the Stars era. Demolition began in spring 2009 and was officially completed on November 17, 2009, when the roof was removed and the structure razed. The site was fully cleared by the end of that year, ending a 29-year run as one of the most storied multi-purpose venues in the American Southwest.
Is Reunion Arena Still Standing? What’s There Now?
No — Reunion Arena is not still standing. The arena was demolished in 2009 and the site was completely cleared by year’s end. The former footprint near the landmark Reunion Tower became Reunion Park, an open green space that has hosted outdoor concerts and public events in the years since.
As of 2024, Hunt Realty Investments — which has owned the Reunion Tower property and surrounding 20+ acres since the 1970s — announced a sweeping $5 billion redevelopment of the area. Plans call for up to 3,000 apartments (with affordable workforce housing units), a 600–1,000 room convention hotel, 150,000 square feet of retail and dining, up to 2 million square feet of office space, and a new 3–4 acre public park. The project is timed to coincide with the $3 billion rebuild of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, with construction expected to begin around 2025 and park spaces opening around 2030.
Reunion Arena Dallas FAQs
When was Reunion Arena built?
Groundbreaking for Reunion Arena took place on March 15, 1978. Construction was completed at a cost of $27 million, and the arena officially opened on April 28, 1980, in time for the Dallas Mavericks’ inaugural NBA season.
What was Reunion Arena’s capacity?
Reunion Arena seated 18,190 for NBA basketball and 17,000 for NHL hockey. For concerts, capacity reached 18,630 for end-stage configurations and 19,070 for center-stage setups. A half-house configuration held 9,663 for smaller events.
When was Reunion Arena demolished?
Demolition of Reunion Arena was officially completed on November 17, 2009, with the site fully cleared by the end of that year. The arena had closed its doors on June 30, 2008, following a unanimous vote by the Dallas City Council.
Is Reunion Arena still standing?
No. Reunion Arena was demolished in November 2009 and no longer exists. The site in downtown Dallas near Reunion Tower is now Reunion Park and is slated for a $5 billion mixed-use redevelopment by Hunt Realty Investments.
What teams played at Reunion Arena?
The primary tenants were the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks (1980–2001) and the NHL’s Dallas Stars (1993–2001). The arena also hosted the Dallas Sidekicks indoor soccer team (1984–2004), the Dallas Texans arena football franchise, and various other short-lived sports franchises.
Did the Dallas Stars win the Stanley Cup at Reunion Arena?
No. The Stars played their home games (Games 1, 2, and 5) of the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals at Reunion Arena but clinched the championship in Game 6 at Buffalo’s Marine Midland Arena on June 19, 1999, when Brett Hull scored in triple overtime. In 2000, the Stars hosted Games 3, 4, and 6 of the Finals at Reunion Arena but lost the series to the New Jersey Devils.
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