Plano voters reject Dallas Stars arena funding. What happens next?

Plano leaders are exploring alternative financing options for the proposed Dallas Stars arena, while Dallas officials say they're ready to negotiate to keep the team.

Plano voters rejected Proposition A, turning down public financing for a proposed Dallas Stars arena and leaving the future of the project uncertain. But the vote doesn't necessarily mean the project is dead.

The city of Plano said it plans to reassess financial options and present them to City Council. The question now is whether the development can move forward without the public financing voters rejected.

Meanwhile, Dallas officials are already making it clear they want the Stars to stay.

Dallas City Council members Bazaldua and Blackmon said in a statement that their city is ready to negotiate to keep the hockey team within Dallas city limits.

"Dallas is the team’s namesake, and we believe Dallas is where they belong," the council members said in the statement.

What's next for the proposed Dallas Stars arena?

Steven Haynes, an associate professor of finance and managerial economics at UT Dallas, said the election results signal voters' reluctance to take on financial risk for a private organization.

Haynes said the Stars could explore other options, including securing private investors or scaling back the development. But time could be running out.

"So there’s still a lot of financial instruments that can be pulled, but the Stars organization has literally a couple of weeks to make this decision or they may be locked back into a long-term lease at their existing location," Haynes said.

Plano Mayor John Muns said the city is "committed to thoughtful reinvestment and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars as we consider what comes next."

The Dallas Stars released the following statement on Proposition A:

“While we are disappointed that Proposition A did not pass, we are confident in the long-term vision for a city-owned arena project and the positive impact it will have on the City of Plano. As Proposition A was a component of a broader financing strategy, we look forward to continuing our partnership with the City of Plano as it pursues a project finance zone to be created by the Texas legislature. We remain committed to advancing this important project that will create jobs, attract new visitors, and generate economic benefits for the Plano community for decades to come.”

Arena opponents celebrate victory but keep their signs

For Karen Dubrow, chair of the Stop the Stars Arena PAC, the rejection of Proposition A marked a victory for residents who opposed using public money to help finance the project.

Dubrow helped organize the political action committee that campaigned against the arena's public funding.

"We were outspent by over $1 million, and the citizens of Plano figured it out," Dubrow said.

She said the opposition was never about keeping the Dallas Stars out of Plano. Instead, it centered on who should be responsible for the cost of the proposed arena.

"We don’t want it because we don’t think our money should be tied up for 41 years for something that’s not proven. Something that doesn’t prove it’s going to bring us back any money at all," Dubrow said.

And while voters have made their decision on Proposition A, Dubrow isn't throwing away the campaign signs that helped spread the PAC's message.

"We can tape over Prop A," Dubrow said.

For now, she's keeping the signs in case another issue arises.

"We’re keeping those in case we need those for a future issue," Dubrow said.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.