Dallas residents, officials lament Downtown business exodus after Mavs, Stars plan suburban moves

Though centered around Dallas City Hall's future, the focus of public comment at today's Dallas City Council meeting was the exodus of businesses from downtown, with many residents taking time to lament the departure of sports franchises and companies alike.Downtown Dallas departuresIn 2026, and specifically the last week, we've seen a surge in business departures from Downtown Dallas.On Monday, the Dallas Mavericks announced their intent to build a new arena and entertainment district on 104 acres of land at the former Valley View Mall site in Far North Dallas, leaving behind their current home at the American Airlines Center in downtown by 2031.On Tuesday, their AAC co-tenents, the Dallas Stars, also announced they planned to leave downtown. The team signed a nonbinding letter of intent with the City of Plano to build a new arena and entertainment district at the current Shops at Willow Bend mall site.Outside of sports, Neiman Marcus announced on Tuesday they plan to close their long