The American Airlines Center "will be the first arena in
the nation to offer Internet connections and electric power
at every seat, from courtside to nosebleed sections,"
according to Richard Alm of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS, who
reported the facility will incorporate "state-of-the-art
sound, crystal-clear video displays, bar-coded ticketing"
that can be read with scanners and enough cellular-telephone
capacity to serve a full house without a busy signal.
Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban: "We're positioning American
Airlines Center to be a technological showcase for digital
media." In addition, the arena will include a 360-degree
video capacity so advertisers can put up "eye-catching
messages." Dallas-based sports stadium consulting firm
Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon & Williams Senior Associate Jim
Faber said that American Airlines Center "will establish a
new standard for technology at sports facilities." Faber,
whose company worked on Staples Center and the Pepsi Center
added, "The Dallas ownership group has spent more time and
effort trying to understand the technology than any new arena
we've ever seen. They're putting in the infrastructure to
accommodate just about any technology that exists or comes
along in the future." But Alm cautioned that American
Airlines Center "could spend millions of dollars for
technology few fans use." But Faber explained, "The young
people are very into it. We don't know how much people
want." Alm noted that since voters approved the project in
'98, the construction cost for the arena have increased from
$265M to $350M. But Stars Owner and Hillwood Development co-
Owner Tom Hicks said that the facility will "offset the
higher costs by signing up corporate sponsors and advertisers
to foot the bill." Cuban: "Rather than us going out and
buying all the stuff, we'll actually have vendors pay to
place their products" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/15).
