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Plano school district backs arena funding plan as voters prepare to weigh in
Plano ISD could provide as much as $250 million in tax revenue toward a proposed Dallas Stars arena at The Shops at Willow Bend, under an agreement approved by the City Council. The project still depends on a Nov. 3 vote, and traffic costs and other details remain unsettled.
The Plano City Council approved an agreement Monday allowing Plano Independent School District to contribute up to $250 million in tax revenue toward a proposed Dallas Stars arena at The Shops at Willow Bend.
The school board approved the agreement over the summer. It would let the district use the city-owned arena for graduation ceremonies and other events. The Stars currently play at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
The proposal is tied to a broader redevelopment of the Willow Bend site, estimated at $3 billion. Plano voters will decide on Proposition A, which would authorize venue taxes to help fund the multipurpose arena. Early voting begins Monday ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
Plano Mayor John Muns, a former school district trustee, said holding graduations in the city would be meaningful. The district’s three senior high school graduations are currently held at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco.
“Being able to see seniors get their diploma … right here” would be “a big deal,” Muns said.
The proposal also raises questions about the project’s effects on nearby neighborhoods. At Monday’s meeting, city leaders heard a preliminary report on traffic, including congestion before and after games and other events. The cost of traffic improvements and who would pay for them are still under negotiation; a fuller report is expected by the end of October.