The Mavericks' new owner talks arena possibilities
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It's too soon to say what will happen to this arena if a new one opens. Photo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks' new owners are open to building the team a new arena in North Texas, but say it's too soon to know when that might be.
Driving the news: Patrick Dumont spoke to the Dallas Morning News about his family's love of basketball and his vision for the Mavericks.
Why it matters: Mark Cuban has wanted a new arena for the team for years. Dumont's family is well-positioned to make that happen, while also continuing their push to legalize sports betting and gambling in Texas.
The big picture: Dumont, who grew up playing basketball in Brooklyn, New York, says he enjoys watching the Mavs play.
- "When Luka scored 73, I thought our house might fall down with everyone screaming so loud," Dumont told the DMN.
Catch up quick: Dumont is the president of Sands Corp., which had properties on the Las Vegas Strip and currently has resorts in Macau and Singapore.
- Dumont's mother-in-law, Miriam Adelson, is Sands' largest shareholder and one of the wealthiest women in the country. She's also a big donor of the Republican party and a supporter of Israel.
- The Adelson and Dumont families finalized controlling ownership interest in the Mavericks in December.
What's next: Dumont told the DMN that he sees the potential for opening destination resorts in Texas, saying, "I don't know how long it will be; I couldn't tell you. But I'm hopeful."
Zoom in: He also envisions the Mavs getting a new arena that's part of a large entertainment complex, in a resort similar to the Venetian Las Vegas.
Yes, but: The Mavericks have about eight years left on their American Airlines Center lease — which Dumont says "we intend to honor."
- In the meantime, he says, the owners will talk to the Dallas Stars about their plans and try to improve the fan experience at the AAC.
The bottom line: "Our ultimate goal is to create the best fan experience that we can … And then ultimately, as I said before, create the underpinnings to win championships," Dumont says.