The Shops at Willow Bend are nearing its final chapter as a mall ahead of plans for a redevelopment that includes a new home for the Dallas Stars.
Demolition is set to begin in January or February on the shopping center, according to Bill Cawley of Cawley Partners, who spoke Thursday at Bisnow’s 2026 Collin County State of the Market event. The mall is set to close early next year after shuttering parts of the site, according to a mall statement earlier this month.
The Dallas Stars, the region’s National Hockey League team, are eyeing the property for a new arena home and a district that could be used for mixed development including retail, dining and public gathering spaces. In June, the Plano City Council voted to approve hundreds of millions of dollars in funding and incentives for the NHL franchise, including more than $700 million in tax funding.
It would be a fresh step for the property that has suffered a long decline as large anchors such as Macy’s and Dillard’s shuttered. Department store Neiman Marcus announced last year that it would remain open until January of 2027.
Already, Centennial, an owner of the mall, had said portions of the shopping center would transition on Sept. 1 as the property enters its “next phase.” Some stores have remained open inside the main structure.
The Shops at Willow Bend — which were hit by theft in September — recently blocked off the large, middle part of the site near Neiman Marcus. Shoppers can get access to the retailers with entrances near the edges of the mall.
The roughly 90-acre property at 6121 W. Park Blvd. emerged as the team’s favorite after discussions with other cities including Frisco, The Colony, Arlington and Fort Worth. The team’s lease at American Airlines Center expires in 2031.
Centennial CEO Steven Levin said in March that the demolition plans were likely to happen within 12 months.