Plano Voters Reject Venue Taxes for Proposed Stars Arena

Proposition A would have authorized Plano to impose several taxes tied to hotels, vehicle rentals, event parking, admissions and use of the facility by major league teams. The revenue would have helped pay the city’s share of a planned arena and entertainment complex at Willow Bend’s Shops.

The measure allowed for a hotel tax of up to 2%, a rental levy on short-term vehicle use of up to 5%, a charge of up to $3 for each vehicle at event parking, and an admissions levy of up to 10% of ticket prices. It also included a facility-use tax of up to $5,000 for each game played at the venue by a major league team.

Plano representatives have said the levies would be charged on particular transactions and would leave the city’s existing property tax rate unchanged. The potential funding arrangement also includes commercial property tax revenue from a designated redevelopment zone near Willow Bend.

Opponents raised concerns about the project’s financial effects, traffic, parking and noise. Some residents also worried that improvements to the arena site could eventually lead to property tax increases. City officials have studied roadway improvements and other steps to address concerns.

Mayor John Muns said the redevelopment remains an important opportunity and that the city would consider what comes next while managing taxpayer dollars responsibly. He has said the development could proceed despite the vote, with Plano exploring other funding sources. The city has described the ballot measure as a decision on authorizing the venue taxes, not a direct vote on whether the arena will be built. The proposed arena could be ready for the opening of the 2031 season.

Plano Vote Blocks Visitor Taxes for Stars Arena Investment

Plano voters have blocked a financing tool built around taxes on hotels, rentals, parking, admissions and major league teams—not an increase to the city’s existing property tax rate. Proposition A would have directed revenue from those transactions toward the city’s contribution to an arena and entertainment complex at Willow Bend’s Shops.

The proposal set limits including a hotel tax of up to 2%, a vehicle rental tax of up to 5%, parking charges of up to $3 per vehicle and an admissions levy capped at 10% of ticket prices. Plano officials said those levies would be assessed on particular transactions. The potential financing package also included commercial property tax revenue from a redevelopment zone.

The rejection means the city must consider other ways to support the redevelopment if it is to move forward. Mayor John Muns called the project an important opportunity and said Plano would weigh next steps with responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars in mind.

Opponents had pointed to financial risks as well as traffic, parking and noise concerns, while some residents worried about future property tax increases tied to improvements at the site. Those concerns deserve consideration, but the ballot measure’s proposed taxes were separate from the city’s existing property tax rate. The city has said the election concerned whether venue taxes could be authorized, not whether the arena itself would be built. The arena could be ready for the opening of the 2031 season.

Plano Voters Reject Arena Tax Plan Amid Financial Concerns

Plano voters rejected a plan to use a package of new venue-related taxes to help pay for a planned Dallas Stars arena. The result puts the city’s proposed contribution in question and reflects a clear public decision against authorizing the taxes at this time.

Proposition A would have allowed Plano to tax hotel stays, short-term vehicle rentals, event parking and admissions, as well as impose a facility-use tax on major league teams playing at the venue. The limits included a hotel tax of up to 2%, rental tax of up to 5%, a parking charge capped at $3 per vehicle and an admissions levy capped at 10% of ticket prices.

City officials said the levies would be assessed on particular transactions and would leave the existing property tax rate unchanged. But opponents raised concerns about the project’s financial effects, traffic, parking and noise, and some residents feared future property tax increases as the site was improved. The possible financing plan also relied on commercial property tax revenue from a redevelopment zone near Willow Bend.

Mayor John Muns said the redevelopment remains an important opportunity and that the city would consider next steps while safeguarding taxpayer dollars. He has said the project could move ahead even after the defeat, with officials looking for alternative funding sources. That possibility does not change the vote’s central message: voters declined to authorize the proposed venue taxes. The city says the measure was about those taxes, not a direct decision on whether the arena will be built; it could be ready for the opening of the 2031 season.