Since our opening in July 2001, we have had a lot of great memories at the American Airlines Center. We have been ranked one of the best NBA Arenas in the United States and held witness to the largest ribbon cutting ceremony of all time (to date) for our grand opening. However, those are just minuscule matters in comparison to what we really care about, which is you, the people who make all of this possible. So, we asked what your favorite memories and experiences have been at the American Airlines Center and here are the responses we received!
Top Ten Memories for the Past Ten Years:
1. The Mavs v. Heat NBA Finals Watch Party- 16,000 tickets were sold in 45 minutes to this momentous event. The arena was filled with the Maverick blue as fans cheered on their team to beat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. The stadium shook as the fans cheered in celebration when our beloved Dallas Mavericks won the NBA Finals 4-2 for the first time in franchise history! An unforgettable moment in Dallas history and we are so honored we were able to be a part of the celebration!
2. Dallas Stars v. Anaheim Ducks Farewell to Modano and the OT Shootout to Win!- The score was Ducks 2-1 with 15:16 left in the 3rd period and tension was high. Modano deflected a shot by Daley and scored to tie the game 2-2 with 1:47 left in the 3rd. The game turned to a shootout and in the 3rd round Modano in with lightning fast speed sent the puck right through goalie Hiller’s pads! This was Modano’s farewell game and the fans showed him the recognition he deserved with an extended standing ovation, which brought him to tears.
3. New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys- This performance on June 26, 2011 was one that will never be forgotten. The center was filled with two generations of fans celebrating their youth and remembering the songs of these pop sensations. Every word was mimicked as the fans sang along and shrilled for their favorite hunky performer. The boys ran down to the audience high-fiving and take photo making the experience even more memorable. We will never forget this performance with the confetti flying, studded suits and of course the surprise performance wearing Mavericks jerseys!
4. Lady Gaga: The Monster’s Ball- We saw some of the most intricate costumes, sets and dances imaginable at Lady Gaga’s Monster’s Ball! And those costumes weren’t just on stage, they were in the crowd too! Many of Gaga’s little monsters dressed up in celebration as they danced and sang along to multitude of Gaga’s hits. This performance was one to remember as Lady Gaga awed the crowd playing a fiery piano and singing at the top of her lungs.
5. Keith Urban: Get Closer- Urban stunned the crowd with hits from his newest album and surprised us when he showed up on stage wearing a Mav’s jersey! This country music star brought us to our feet at AAC as we rocked out to Urbans rendition of “We are the Champions” with a verse of ”Deep in the Heart of Texas” mixed in!
6. Lil Wayne: I Am Music II- Pyrotechnics and a set that we will never forget, Lil Wayne left his mark during his 2011 tour. Lil Wayne surprised us with guest artists T-Pain and 15-year old Dallas artist, Lil Twist. This concert showed us how this rap star can entertain, show his amazing talents and have the time of his life at the same time.
7. Trans-Siberian Orchestra-The amazing laser light show, pyro-technics and blend of classical music and rock is something look forward to every year at AAC. This show is one you have to see, if you haven’t already! No wonder it is a top 10 favorite!
8. Metallica: The World Magnetic Tour- The 2009 World Magnetic Tour concert proved to us that Metallica can rock out! The arena was packed and the crowd was roaring! Our ears were ringing for days, after Metallica stunned us with this awesome show!
9. Nickelback concert with Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin, and Sick Puppies- This combination of four great rock bands rocked the house and filled the crowd with energy as they played the of their awesome hits! We couldn’t have asked for a better combination of energy, entertainment and rock excitement!
10. The Dixie Chicks: Top of the World Tour- These talented young ladies left us begging for more as the stunned us with their beautiful vocals and harmony. The crowd sang along to their favorites and the ladies showed us their variety of talents as they strummed the guitar, played the fiddle and rocked out on the banjo.