The American Airlines Center is an arena used for hockey games, basketball games, football games, concerts and various other events, opened on July 17, 2001 and owned by Center Operating Company, L.P. The arena construction costed $420 million, the design work was carried out by David M. Schwarz Architectural Services of Washington D.C, and the capacity of the arena is 18,532 for hockey, 20,000–21,041 for basketball and 18,584 standing room only. American Airlines announced that it would be acquiring the naming rights for the arena on 18 March 1999 for US$195 million. The opening of the facility was with the largest ribbon cutting ceremony ever, according to the Guinness Book of Records, and the first event occurred the next day with an Eagles concert. The arena hosted the last show of Michael Flatley's Feet of Flames tour the next night, and on August 19, 2001 the first sporting event took place with the Dallas Sidekicks of the World Indoor Soccer League taking on the San Diego Sockers.

The arena is meant to be the heart of a new urban, commercial area designed to reinvigorate the city of Dallas called Victory Park. The interior includes retractable seating, public art and a state-of-the-art technological arena, and sometimes the arena is refered to as “The Hangar, because of the Quonset hut-like appearance of its roof. It features a conservative, traditional design and has been graced with a number of awards.