Victory Green Plano, the political action committee backed by the Dallas Stars’ corporate entity, has raised over $1 million to fund the campaign for Plano’s Proposition A, which would approve up to five taxes to help fund a city-owned arena for the NHL team.
The competing Stop the Stars Arena committee, formed by residents, has raised around $13,000 from a few dozen Plano residents, according to the latest campaign finance records.
Most of Victory Green Plano’s contributions — over $980,000 — came from the Stars, records show. The PAC has sent texts, bought billboard ads, paid for online advertisements and sent mailers to Plano residents.
By moving to Plano, the NHL franchise hopes to meet season ticket-holders where they are as D-FW’s center of gravity moves north. Plano officials say the project could breathe life into the dormant Shops at Willow Bend mall where the arena is planned, backed by a $700 million contribution from the city — funds that the venue taxes on November’s ballot could help cover.
Related: As early voting nears, Plano voters question tax election for Dallas Stars arena funding
The City Council would decide which of the taxes to levy. They target parking, ticket prices, hotel rooms, car rentals and major league players who would use the arena.
Stars CEO Brad Alberts said in an interview earlier this month the team “needs to be partners to the city.”
“We need to do our part and help get that election passed,” he said. “That’s why we’re assisting in the funding of the PAC.”
HNTB, the firm the Stars selected to design the arena, contributed $15,000 to Victory Green Plano through a political committee, and Winstead PC, the law firm that represented the Stars in a legal dispute with the Dallas Mavericks, contributed $10,000, records show.
Related: The Dallas Morning News Voter Guide
Karen Dubrow, chair of the competing Stop the Stars Arena PAC, said residents are “slammed” with flyers and texts from Victory Green Plano, which has spent more than $800,000.
“If they’re willing to spend this kind of money, it means they’re getting a real big deal, and we’re getting rooked,” she said. “We are fighting Goliath.”
Her committee has spent about $5,800 on yard signs, flyers, a website, texts and an event.
Election Day is Nov. 3 and early voting runs through Friday.
Sign up for our weekly Collin County newsletter here and email tips on all things Plano, McKinney and more to lilly.kersh@dallasnews.com.
Subscribe
This article originally published at Dallas Stars pour nearly $1 million into campaign for Plano arena taxes.