Town officials celebrated a groundbreaking for the StarCenter Multisport Northlake on April 15. While it will be the ninth StarCenter in North Texas, the $45 million, 225,000-square-foot facility will be the first of its kind, Dallas Stars President and CEO Brad Alberts said. It will feature two NHL regulation sheets of ice and eight basketball courts, which can be converted to 16 volleyball courts.
The center is slated to open next fall. It will be located along SH 114, near Texas Motor Speedway, and is expected to be a regional draw, Mayor David Rettig said.
“It’s going to provide a great amenity for the region,” he said.
The backstory
Bringing a facility to Northlake has been nearly two years in the making, council member Brian Montini said. The Stars were “immediately interested” when town officials reached out.
“It’s certainly a fast-growing area,” Alberts said. “It's just geographically an area that we didn't really have a footprint in before.”
Voters approved funding during a special election in November. Northlake will own the center, and the Stars will operate under a 30-year lease.
Some of the facility’s uses include practices, public skating and tournaments. It is expected to draw guests who will then frequent hotels and local businesses, furthering economic growth, Montini said.
“The No. 1 thing that came back on our town survey was ‘we want more retail, we want more restaurants,’” he said. “This is one of the best ways to bring them.”
Also of note
The StarCenter will be adjacent to Chadwick Farms, a 60-acre mixed use development that will consist of a hotel, multifamily units, restaurants and retail upon completion.
The area’s development is a three-way partnership between Northlake, Western Securities and the Stars, Montini said. Western Securities previously owned the land where the StarCenter will be located.
“[Chadwick Farms] will just enhance the overall experience for residents, guests and [visitors],” Western Securities consultant Elise Mikus said. “It's a great location, lots of traffic and we're hoping to be able to come provide some services and entertainment-related uses that just aren't in the marketplace.”
In addition to its economic impact, the StarCenter will help turn the area into a destination, Montini said.
“This is really about investing in our future and controlling our destiny,” he said. “It gives us a sense of totality and a masterplan for that area so we can bring in what the residents are asking for.”
