Dallas Can Have It All: A Bold, Downtown Vision of City Hall & Arena

 For months, Dallas residents have been warned that a vibrant, world-class southern downtown district can only happen if City Hall is abandoned and the land turned over for a massive private sports and entertainment development. 

A newly released master plan, the result of a collaboration between a senior design studio of UTA CAPPA and the 10 Presidents (all former Presidents of AIA components), shows that simply isn’t true.

The proposal, called CitySouth, presents a detailed and pragmatic vision for transforming southern Downtown into a thriving mixed-use district — while keeping Dallas City Hall in place and modernizing it as a key civic anchor. The plan demonstrates how a Mavericks arena, hotels, retail, restaurants, residential towers, entertainment venues, public parks, and improved pedestrian connections can all fit within existing city-owned land (up to 47 acres) around the relocated Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center and surrounding properties.

The CitySouth plan demonstrates the power behind having three anchor institutions — City Hall, a Mavs arena, and the KBHCC — working together to create a vibrant 24/7/365 urban environment.

In other words: Dallas does not have to choose between economic development and preserving City Hall. We can have both. The proposal includes a 20,000-seat arena, hotels, office space, residential development, a sports medicine center, expanded green space, improved transit and walkability, and even a redesigned City Hall Park deck park over Interstate 30 comparable in size to Klyde Warren Park. The plan projects billions in economic investment and tens of thousands of jobs — all without demolishing one of Dallas’ most iconic civic buildings.

Importantly, the master plan exposes a central flaw in the current push to abandon City Hall: the idea that the building is somehow “in the way” of downtown progress. This proposal proves there is ample room for growth, investment, and revitalization without sacrificing a publicly owned landmark that Dallas taxpayers already own.

The debate over City Hall should be driven by facts, planning, and public input — not false choices.

We encourage all Dallas residents to review the full CitySouth master plan and see for themselves what a smarter, more balanced vision for Downtown can look like.