Strong playoff performances for the Dallas Stars and Dallas Mavericks, especially games played over holiday weekends, mean big business for the teams and local businesses near their home arenas.
This month marks the first time the NBA and NHL conference finals will be held at the same time at the American Airlines Center, and the city's NBA and NHL teams are each one series away from a championship series.
“We're seeing record sales every week,” said Elias Pope, owner of Hero by HG, a bar and restaurant next to the American Airlines Center. “We're hoping that trend continues, and hopefully, they both make it all the way to the championship. That would be great.”
On non-event days at the American Airlines Center, Heroes typically make between $1,500 and $5,000, Pope said. During events, sales can rise to at least $100,000. Both playoff teams will host events on consecutive nights at the arena.
Pope said the operation impacts businesses in the city by hosting watch parties on game nights whether the team is playing at the arena or not. For example, Herro hosted the official Dallas Mavericks watch party during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves, which was being played in Minneapolis.
“It's been a rollercoaster ride, going from good harvest to bad harvest on another day and then back to good harvest on another day,” he said.
The five-day series kicked off at the American Airlines Center with a concert by singer Melanie Martinez, the Stars hosted the Edmonton Oilers for the first game of their series on Thursday, a concert by singer Diljit Dosanjh on Friday, Game 2 between the Stars and Oilers on Saturday and Game 3 between the Mavericks and Timberwolves on Sunday.
The Mavericks play another game at the American Airlines Center on Tuesday, and watch parties are scheduled for Games 3 and 4 of the Stars-Oilers series on the arena's plaza on Monday and Wednesday.
According to the arena's calendar, the American Airlines Center will host 21 events this month both inside and outside the facility. If neither team advances to the playoffs, the arena will host six events, all concerts.
Martinez's concert was moved from its original Friday date because of the playoff game. Other shows by artists including Bad Bunny and Nicki Minaj scheduled for the American Airlines Center earlier this month were also forced to be rescheduled because of the Mavericks game.
“It helps everybody, not just the 16,000 to 20,000 people inside the arena, but also the people across the street and the surrounding neighborhoods,” said Rich Hicks, owner of nearby Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer.
The restaurant opened last August after the NBA and NHL seasons ended, but Black Tap expects to see an increase in sales of about 20 to 30 percent on game days.
Dave Brown, chief operating officer and general manager of the American Airlines Center, said Thursday that he didn't yet have numbers on the economic impact of the increased arena events resulting from the playoff run, but “there's no question it's an economic driver.”
“We're committed to putting on games and concerts every night, and we'll calculate the full economic impact once the championships are over,” Brown said, “but every night is busy. It's unprecedented for us and it's unprecedented for the city.”
Playoff games also mean more out-of-town visitors staying in Dallas-area hotels and attractions, said Craig Davis, president and CEO of the Dallas Convention and Visitors Association, who said the playoffs are essentially “free advertising for the city.”
“It also adds to the perception that Dallas is a sports city, we say that, and it adds credibility,” Davis said. “It's amazing to have two teams in the city of Dallas that are so successful at the same time.”
The American Airlines Center has six events on its June schedule, including a Megan Thee Stallion concert, but that number could grow if both the Mavericks and Stars series continue to seven games or at least one of them advances to the next round.
“This is a truly unique experience that makes us all cry about how lucky we are to live in a city with such high-quality sports right now,” Dallas Stars president and CEO Brad Alberts said.
Each round of the playoffs means higher ticket prices and increased demand, he said, and the team's success has been a big boon for the business.
“Going to the conference finals for the second straight year has put the Stars in the best two-year run in their history,” Alberts said. “Hopefully it doesn't end like this.”
Increased pedestrian traffic around Victory Park also meant that public transport services needed to be strengthened.
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority is running a special commuter train to transport passengers from Fort Worth to the American Airlines Center. Bus passengers can transfer to light rail and commuter rail trains to get to the stadium via the Red Line from Parker, the Blue Line from Rowlett and the Green Line from North Carrollton, Lee said. He said the transit system's police also plan to increase their presence in the system.
When Thursday night's game against the Stars went into double overtime, DART had three trains at the game site waiting until the game was over, giving passengers the option to take public transportation home, said Belard Jackson, DART's senior vice president and chief operating officer.
Many DART employees wear Stars and Mavericks uniforms, and train and bus stations are abuzz with signs reading “Go Mavericks, Go Stars.”
“DART is excited to support the Mavs and Stars throughout the playoffs and into the Championship Series,” said DART CEO Nadine Lee.
