FRISCO — A Texas Rangers World Series win and hot start to the Dallas Mavericks season would look a lot sweeter to Mark Cuban if Dallas-Fort Worth had one thing: resort-style gambling.
The Dallas billionaire and ABC’s Shark Tank star has his eyes on a new arena for the Dallas Mavericks if Texas lawmakers would consider allowing resort-style gambling. Cuban has been vocal over the last year about creating a change within the state, drawing more people into Texas for the amenities and a potentially Las Vegas-like atmosphere.
“When you think of all the places you want to save up to vacation, Texas isn’t one of them,” Cuban said. “There’s no real destination that you save up for. That’s a problem and I think resort gaming would have a huge impact.”
Last year, Cuban told The Dallas Morning News his plans for making it happen.
“My goal, and we’d partner with Las Vegas Sands, is when we build a new arena it’ll be in the middle of a resort and casino,” Cuban told The News. “That’s the mission.”
What he’s not good at, he said, is trying to take a guess at what a politician might do.
n May, the Texas House essentially killed legislation backed by casino company Las Vegas Sands that would have allowed a pathway for the kinds of resorts Cuban is interested in.
While a new stadium might not be underway yet, Cuban hopes it’s in the future for the Mavericks. In April, $18.5 million was put into the American Airlines Center for new video boards and seats, a product of the stadium’s staff, Cuban and Dallas Stars owner, Tom Gaglardi.
“It’s a great sports town,” Cuban said. “People get excited about sports here, and it’s a good thing.”
For now, his focus lies within growing his company, Cost Plus Drugs, which began with a mission to disrupt big pharma. He’s also committing to another season of Shark Tank, which is currently airing in its 15th season. On Thursday, he spoke in front of hundreds of business owners at Chase’s Make Your Move Summit in Frisco, encouraging entrepreneurship and sharing his own story of success.
“It’s always a good time to be an entrepreneur in Dallas, Texas,” Cuban said.
This story, originally published in The Dallas Morning News, is reprinted as part of a collaborative partnership between The Dallas Morning News and Texas Metro News. The partnership seeks to boost coverage of Dallas’ communities of color, particularly in southern Dallas.
