DALLAS — Ron Kirk knew going in what the lifespan would be for a replacement for Reunion Arena.

“Thirty years,” he said.

Kirk was the foremost political figure to lead the American Airlines Center project from its conception to construction. The AAC cost $420 million to build, and it opened in October of 2001.

Both the Mavericks and Stars will soon play in the 2024 NBA playoffs and 2024 NHL playoffs, and we are likely in the twilight of the AAC as the home to both. That’s insane.

No one in any rational state who builds a house, or even an office space, before they sign the necessary 43 million documents required for construction, says, “Thirty years and she’s done.”

“That’s the reality of modern sports,” said Kirk, the former Dallas mayor, in a recent interview. “You build a building and when it’s life span is over, you build a new one. That’s what these owners want.”

And nearly all of us keep giving it to them. Unless you’re Oakland. San Diego. And now Kansas City. Northern Virginia. Probably Chicago, too.

Could we finally be entering an era of sports where tax payers all over the country vote “NO” to approving these seemingly benign 0.00000003 tax increases to fund new stadiums and arenas? Go with a hard maybe.

It’s trending that way, but we still need more data.

Are K.C., Oakland and Virginia the new trend for sports stadiums?

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