A judge with the Business Court of Texas ruled in favor of the Mavericks on Wednesday, giving the basketball team control of the American Airlines Center.
DALLAS, Texas — A judge with the Business Court of Texas cancelled the jury trial between the Dallas Stars and the Dallas Mavericks, and ruled in favor of the Mavs, according to court documents.
In court documents obtained by WFAA, Judge Bill Whitehill ruled the Mavericks “are entitled to their requested relief” in a legal battle over control of the American Airlines Center.
That means the Mavericks are the sole operators of the AAC. The Stars have already appealed the judge’s decision.
The October 2025 lawsuit filed by the Mavericks claims the Stars violated their agreement to jointly operate the arena and, in doing so, made the Mavericks the sole operators of the American Airlines Center.
In a countersuit, the Stars alleged that the Mavericks’ lawsuit “is nothing short of a hostile takeover.”
The conflict started back in 1999 when both teams agreed with the city of Dallas to jointly lease and operate the arena, WFAA previously reported. According to the Mavericks’ lawsuit, the agreement required both teams to keep their corporate headquarters within the Dallas city limits. The penalty for moving elsewhere, according to the contract, was losing the right to operate the AAC.
In 2003, the Stars relocated their headquarters and practice facility to Frisco. But the move did not become an issue until 2024, after the Mavericks were purchased by the Dumont family
In 2024, the Mavericks attempted to buy out the Stars’ share by sending them $110 and a letter explaining their claims. The Stars rejected the claim and sent back the money, leading the Mavericks to file a suit.
The Mavericks claim, in their 2025 lawsuit, that the Stars’ decades-old move to Frisco activated the clause and allowed the Mavs to buy out the Stars’ ownership of the companies that operate the AAC.
In a countersuit, the Stars claim the team leased office space in Dallas in November 2024 and formally designated it as its principal business address, curing any potential noncompliance.
In a later filing, the Stars went on to claim that the Mavericks were actually headquartered in Las Vegas, nullifying their rights to operate the AAC.
In his ruling, the judge states that the Stars did relocate from the city of Dallas, and the Mavericks have the right to redeem the Stars’ “entire interests” in the company that operates the AAC.
The judge also ruled that the Stars’ designated board members are terminated from the board of directors.
The ruling goes on to say the Stars take nothing on their counterclaims.
The Stars have declined to comment. WFAA has not received a comment from the Mavs organization at this time.
Both teams’ lease at the AAC expires in 2031. Rumors have swirled that the Stars will leave the AAC to establish their own arena in Plano, but the team has not confirmed those claims.
The Mavericks have expressly stated that they plan to find a site for a new arena in the city of Dallas.