American Airlines Center

The Hangar, AAC
Location	2500 Victory Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75201
Coordinates	32°47′26″N 96°48′37″W / 32.79056°N 96.81028°W / 32.79056; -96.81028Coordinates: 32°47′26″N 96°48′37″W / 32.79056°N 96.81028°W / 32.79056; -96.81028
Broke ground	September 1999
Opened	July 17, 2001
Owner	Center Operating Company, L.P.[1]
Construction cost	$ 420 million USD
Architect	David M. Schwarz/Architectural Services, Inc. HKS, Inc. Johnson/McKibben Architects, Inc.
Capacity	Ice hockey: 18,532 Basketball: 20,000–21,041 Concerts: 18,584 (standing room only)
Tenants
Dallas Stars (NHL) (2001-present) Dallas Mavericks (NBA) (2001-present) Dallas Desperados (AFL) (2002, 2004-2008)

The American Airlines Center (sometimes referred to as the AAC (pronounced "A-A-C," "double A−C,"), is a multi-purpose arena located in the Victory Park neighborhood near downtown Dallas, Texas. It is home to the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League and the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. The arena is also used for concerts and other live entertainment.

[edit] History and construction

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By 1998, the Dallas Mavericks, then owned by H. Ross Perot, Jr., and the Dallas Stars were indicating their desire for a new facility to replace the dated 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 benefiting 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.^{[citation needed]}

On March 18, 1999, American Airlines announced that it would be acquiring the naming rights for the arena for US$195 million.^[2][3] American Airlines is headquartered in Fort Worth and is based at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport.

On July 27, 2001, the facility opened with the largest ribbon cutting ceremony ever, according to the Guinness Book of Records^{[citation needed]}. 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 August 19, 2001 with the Dallas Sidekicks of the World Indoor Soccer League taking on the San Diego Sockers.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Design

Athena Tacha, ground-plan of AT&T Plaza with star fountains, in front of the American Airlines Center (2,000 sq ft (190 m²), 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m²), in collaboration with SWA)

Principal design work was carried out by David M. Schwarz Architectural Services of Washington D.C. The American Airlines Center was designed 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."

On the south side of the arena AT&T Plaza serves as the principal entrance into the facility, designed by artist Athena Tacha in 2000. The plaza provides an open space with fountains flanked by retail and office buildings. With several high-definition video screen mounted on the side of the arena and office buildings, the plaza is often used for outdoor events and movie showings.^[4]

Interior of the AAC during a Dallas Stars game

The AAC and the high-definition screen as seen from AT&T Plaza.

American Airlines Center

American Airlines Center interior 2007

[edit] Awards

American Airlines Center - Awards 2001-Present

• American Builders and Contractors North Texas Excellence in Construction Award of Merit, 2007 - American Airlines Center Platinum Club Renovation

• Readers Pick, Best Sports Venue, 2007 -Dallas Observer

• Concert Venue of the Year, 2006 - Pollstar Magazine

• Slam Dunk Award, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 - Harlem Globetrotters

• 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 Ribbon Cutting, 2001 - Gunniess Book of World Records

• Best New Major Concert Venue for 2001 - Pollstar Magazine

• Phoenix Award, 2001 - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• 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 was presented at MayFair 2003, the City's Fourteenth Annual event for Older Americans Month

[edit] Other notes

The American Airlines Center (or "Dallas Arena") as seen in The Simpsons

• 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, in which the Dallas Mavericks played the Miami Heat. Because of this, the series was nicknamed by some as the American Airlines series.

• 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.

• Regular host for WWE live events in the DFW area. Previous events have included WWE Survivor Series 2003, WWE Night of Champions, a taping of WWE Saturday Night's Main Event, and various episodes of WWE Raw, WWE SmackDown, and ECW.

• After the Dallas Desperados played their first season in the American Airlines Center, they moved to nearby Reunion Arena and played there for their second season. For their third season, they moved back to the American Airlines Center where they have played since.

• The Center hosted the Big 12 Basketball Tournament in 2003, 2004, and 2006.

• The American Airlines Center was pictured in Season 20, Episode 8 of the Simpsons as "Dallas Arena," with the city skyline behind it, and a board in front saying that the Mavericks were playing the "Springfield Celtics," earlier referred to as the "Austin Celtics," using the logo of the Boston Celtics.

• The PBR has hosted a Built Ford Tough Series bull riding event at the American Airlines Center annually since 2005.

• UFC 103 was held at the building on September 19, 2009.

• Britney Spears has performed three times at the American Airlines Center. The first time was on her Dream Within A Dream Tour, in July 2002 and performed two shows there on March 31, 2009 and September 18, 2009 on her Circus Tour.

• Metallica performed liveat the American Airlines Center on September 29, 2009 on their World Magnetic Tour.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The American Airlines Center