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Jun 2, 2008 7:19 am US/Central
Reunion Arena Could Soon Be Torn Down
DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―
There is a debate in Dallas over the fate of a North Texas landmark. City leaders may recommend tearing down Reunion Arena on Monday.
Opened in 1980 as a home for the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars, Reunion Arena has not seen a lot of action lately. The exception has been the overflowing crowds that packed the building in February to see Sen. Barack Obama speak days before the state primary election.
The building is in major need of repairs and already operating in the red. Reunion Arena will also host its last scheduled event later this month. Last year, city staffers were actually directed to stop booking events at Reunion Arena in preparation for shutting it down.
The larger, top-tier events are now held at the American Airlines Center, which opened in 2001.
Many believe that there is nothing left for the Reunion Arena building other than tearing it down.
Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert has made it very clear that he does not want to see a boarded up eyesore sitting in the middle of downtown.
Some city leaders said that they are willing to consider other options. There was once talk of converting the complex into a casino, but those discussions have gone nowhere.
The land, however, is extremely valuable, especially considering its proximity to the planned Trinity River Development. Because of this, some city council members are not in a rush to get rid of the older building, thinking that the city should hold on to the property, if nothing else.
A briefing between city staffers and the city council's economic development committee is scheduled to be held on Monday. There is no word yet on when the full city council will get involved.
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