Wings Downtown Shift
Dallas Wings Secure American Airlines Center for 2027 Home Games Amid Renovation Delays
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Key Points
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The Wings signed a 15-year use agreement with the City of Dallas in 2024 to play at the Dallas Memorial Auditorium once renovated, making the 2027 move to the new venue a contractual plan rather than a temporary arrangement.
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Renovation work on Dallas Memorial Auditorium has been pushed back to 2028, in part because of broader redevelopment delays, its overlap with the 2026 FIFA World Cup International Broadcast Center, and budget/constructural holdups tied to the adjacent Wings facility.
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The Wings’ long‑term training home is slated to be a new $55 million facility in West Oak Cliff, with the complex scheduled to open next April as the team’s permanent training base.
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The franchise’s North Texas era began in 2016 after moving from Tulsa; Dallas Wings were founded in 1998 as the Detroit Shock before relocating to North Texas, with the move marking a broader shift from the Arlington College Park Center to downtown Dallas.
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The Wings have already tested AAC as a venue, playing two regular-season games there in 2025 and defeating the Chicago Sky in one of those contests.
The Dallas Wings will play every home game of their 2027 WNBA season at the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas, the team announced. The move is temporary, filling the gap while a planned renovation of Dallas Memorial Auditorium runs behind schedule, according to WFAA.
Wings CEO Greg Bibb called the shift to AAC "a pivotal step" in the franchise's ongoing move to Dallas. The team has called College Park Center in Arlington home since 2016, but a new chapter in downtown Dallas is now taking shape.
Why AAC Steps In While Auditorium Work Slips
The Wings signed a 15-year use agreement with the City of Dallas in 2024 to eventually play at a renovated Dallas Memorial Auditorium. But that renovation has been pushed back to 2028, according to Fox4 News. Delays stem from several factors — budget holdups, construction complications, and the building's overlap with the 2026 FIFA World Cup International Broadcast Center.
With no firm opening date for the Auditorium before 2028, the Wings needed a home for 2027. AAC, which opened in 2001, steps in as that solution. The arrangement is described as temporary, bridging the gap until the Auditorium is ready, according to Yahoo Sports.
Wings Already Tested AAC Waters in 2025
The Wings did not wait until 2027 to play downtown. The team played two regular-season games at AAC in 2025, winning one of them against the Chicago Sky. Those games gave the franchise a preview of life in the big arena before committing to a full home schedule there.
CEO Greg Bibb praised the venue as "world-class." Playing at AAC puts the Wings alongside the Dallas Mavericks and Stars, who have both called the arena home. WFAA reported that Bibb sees the move as a sign of the team's broader growth and rising profile.
$55 Million Training Facility Anchors Long-Term Dallas Plans
Beyond the games themselves, the Wings are building a permanent home base. A new $55 million training facility in West Oak Cliff is scheduled to open next April, according to Head Top Topics. The complex will serve as the team's full-time training hub going forward.
Together, the training center and the Auditorium deal signal that Dallas is the Wings' long-term city. The franchise has roots going back to 1998, when it was founded as the Detroit Shock. It moved to North Texas in 2016. The shift from Arlington to downtown Dallas marks the next big chapter.
A Downtown Shift Reshapes Dallas Sports Geography
The Wings' move to AAC comes as the broader Dallas sports scene is in flux. The Mavericks and Stars are pursuing separate new arena projects in other parts of the metro. The Wings, by contrast, are doubling down on downtown Dallas as their permanent address.
Yahoo Sports noted that the 2027 season at AAC is expected to be temporary. But the 15-year deal with the city for the Auditorium makes clear this is no passing visit. Dallas Wings fans are watching a franchise plant roots — one season at a time.
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