American Airlines Center

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American Airlines Center
"The Hangar" "AAC"
Location	2500 Victory Avenue Dallas, Texas 75201
Opened	July 17, 2001
Owner	The City of Dallas
Construction cost	$420 million USD
Architect	David M. Schwarz/Architectural Services, Inc. HKS, Inc. Johnson/McKibben Architects, Inc.
Tenants
Dallas Stars (NHL) (2001-present) Dallas Mavericks (NBA) (2001-present) Dallas Desperados (AFL) (2002, 2004-present)
Capacity
Hockey: 18,532 Basketball: 19,200

The American Airlines Center is an arena located in the Victory Park neighborhood near downtown Dallas, Texas that is used for hockey games, basketball games and concerts.

The American Airlines Center is home to the following sports teams:

• Dallas Stars (NHL)
• Dallas Mavericks (NBA)
• Dallas Desperados (Arena Football League)

Contents 1 History 2 Architecture 3 Other notes 4 References 5 See also 6 External link

[edit] History

By 1998, the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars were indicating their desire for a new facility to replace Reunion Arena. Dallas taxpayers approved a new hotel tax and rental car tax to pay for a new facility to cover a portion of the funding, with the two teams, the Mavericks and the Stars picking up the remaining costs, including cost overruns. The new arena was to be built just north of Woodall Rodgers Freeway near Interstate 35E on the site of an old power plant.

On 18 March 1999, American Airlines announced that it would be acquiring the naming rights for the arena for US$195 million.^[1][2]

On 27 July 2001, the facility opened with the largest ribbon-cutting ceremony ever, according to the Guinness Book of Records. The first event occurred the next day with an Eagles concert. On the next night, the arena hosted the last show of Michael Flatley's Feet of Flames tour. The first sporting event took place on 19 August 2001 with the Dallas Sidekicks of the World Indoor Soccer League taking on the San Diego Sockers.

[edit] Architecture

The American Airlines Center is meant to be the heart of a new urban, commercial area designed to reinvigorate the city of Dallas called Victory Park. The facility itself features a conservative, traditional design with sweeping brick façades and smooth arches, and has been graced with a number of awards (below). The interior includes retractable seating, public art and a state-of-the-art technological arena. Because of the Quonset hut-like appearance of its roof and the fact that American Airlines holds the naming rights some fans have come to refer to it as "The Hangar." Others just call it the AAC (pronounced "double A−C").

American Airlines Center - Awards 2001-Present

Top Dog Venue of the Year, 2003 Tour Guide Magazine

"Voice of the Fan" Program, 2002 & 2003 Top ranking facility in most customer services and design related categories.

Best Sports Venue, 2002 & 2003 Dallas Observer

Facility of Merit, 2002 Athletic Business

QUOIN Award, 2002 Associated General Contractors of America/Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter

Engineering Excellence Award, 2002 American Council of Engineering Companies

Real Estate Deals Award, 2002 Dallas Business Journal

Project of the Year Award, 2002 Masonry Construction

Record for Longest Ribbon and Largest Ribbbon Cutting, 2001 Gunniess Book of World Records

Best New Major Concert Venue for 2001 Pollstar Magazine

Phoenix Award, 2001 United States EPA

Golden Trowel Award of Excellence, 2001 United Masonry Contractors Association

International Excellence in Masonry Award, 2001 Masonry Contractors Association of America

Mega Project Over $100 Million, 2001 Associated Builders and Contractors

Best of 2001 Judges Award, 2001 F.W. Dodge

Outstanding Project Team of the Year, 2001 American Subcontractor Association

Outstanding Project Over $25 Million, 2001 American Subcontractor Association

Minority Business Development Agency Outstanding Corporate Award for its M/WBE achievements, 2000 & 2001

City of Dallas Senior Affairs Commission and Friends of Senior Affairs has recognized Center Operating Co. with the 2003 Employer of the Year award, which will bepresented at MayFair 2003, the City's Fourteenth Annual event for Older Americans Month

[edit] Other notes

• Hosted the 55th National Hockey League All-Star Game on January 24, 2007.
• The American Airlines Center as well as the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida hosted the 2006 NBA Finals, when the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat competed for the NBA Championship.
• A few weeks after the first event, it was found that the glass installed in the bathrooms was not the same as what was originally intended. Many who drove by the arena complained they had a clear view into the restrooms. The glass was quickly changed to the correct type the next week.
• Hosted WWE Survivor Series 2003 and Saturday Night's Main Event on July 15, 2006. It also hosted WWE Homecoming on October 3, 2005.
• After the Dallas Desperados played their first season in the American Airlines Center they moved to Reunion Arena and played there in their second season and after their second season and beyond they moved back to the American Airlines Center.
• The Center hosted the Big 12 Basketball Tournament in 2003, 2004, and 2006.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• List of buildings and structures in Dallas, Texas

[edit] External link

• The American Airlines Center

Preceded by Reunion Arena 1980–2001	Home of the Dallas Mavericks 2001–present	Succeeded by current
Preceded by Reunion Arena 1993–2001	Home of the Dallas Stars 2001–present	Succeeded by current

Coordinates: 32°47′25.46″N, 96°48′37.02″W

Current arenas in the National Basketball Association
Western Conference		Eastern Conference
American Airlines Center | ARCO Arena | AT&T Center | EnergySolutions Arena | FedExForum | Ford Center | KeyArena | New Orleans Arena | Oracle Arena | Pepsi Center | Rose Garden Arena | Staples Center | Target Center | Toyota Center | US Airways Center		Air Canada Centre | AmericanAirlines Arena | Amway Arena | Bradley Center | Charlotte Bobcats Arena | Conseco Fieldhouse | Continental Airlines Arena | Madison Square Garden | The Palace of Auburn Hills | Philips Arena | Quicken Loans Arena | TD Banknorth Garden | United Center | Verizon Center | Wachovia Center

Current arenas in the National Hockey League
Western Conference		Eastern Conference
American Airlines Center | General Motors Place | HP Pavilion | Honda Center | Jobing.com Arena | Joe Louis Arena | Nashville Arena | Nationwide Arena | Pengrowth Saddledome | Pepsi Center | Rexall Place | Scottrade Center | Staples Center | United Center | Xcel Energy Center		Air Canada Centre | BankAtlantic Center | Bell Centre | Continental Airlines Arena | HSBC Arena | Madison Square Garden | Mellon Arena | Nassau Coliseum | Philips Arena | RBC Center | St. Pete Times Forum | Scotiabank Place | TD Banknorth Garden | Verizon Center | Wachovia Center

Current arenas in the Arena Football League
American Conference		National Conference
Allstate Arena | EnergySolutions Arena | HP Pavilion | Nashville Arena | Orleans Arena | Pepsi Center | Staples Center | US Airways Center | Van Andel Arena		American Airlines Center | Amway Arena | Frank Erwin Center | Kemper Arena | Nassau Coliseum | Nationwide Arena | New Orleans Arena | Philips Arena | St. Pete Times Forum | Wachovia Center1 | Wachovia Spectrum2
1The Philadelphia Soul play Sunday home games at the Wachovia Center. 2The Philadelphia Soul play Saturday home games at the Wachovia Spectrum.