Short answers, pulled from the story.
H. Ross Perot Jr. owned the Dallas Mavericks franchise that helped drive the project, while David M. Schwarz led the design work for the arena. The facility opened officially on the 17th of July 2001 at a total cost of $420 million.
Dallas voters chose a site just north of Woodall Rodgers Freeway near Interstate 35E for the venue. This location sat on land where an old power plant once stood before construction began.
American Airlines announced they would buy the naming rights for $195 million on the 18th of March 1999. The airline is headquartered nearby in Fort Worth and operates out of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
The 19th of August 2001 marked the first sporting match when the Dallas Sidekicks played against the San Diego Sockers. The venue hosted the Big 12 Basketball tournament in 2003, 2004, and 2006 shortly after opening.
WNBA played a game between Dallas Wings and Indiana Fever on the 27th of June 2025 at the facility. PWHL hosted its first Dallas game on the 28th of December 2025 featuring Seattle Torrent versus New York Sirens before 8,514 fans.