'Puck no': Plano residents discuss Dallas Stars arena tax rejection at city council meeting

PLANO, Texas - After rejecting a venue tax that would have helped fund a new Dallas Stars arena in their city, Plano residents continued to voice their opposition to the arena project at Monday's city council meeting.

Plano Prop A fails to pass

The backstory:

On November 3, roughly 55% of Plano voters voted against Proposition A, and the measure failed to pass.

If it were approved, Plano leaders planned to use the venue tax to help fund a new Dallas Stars arena that will be built at the current Shops at Willow Bend Mall site.

The taxes would have been applied to car rentals, hotels, parking, admissions and other venues.

Local perspective:

Plano City Council did not address Prop A's failure to pass at Monday's meeting, the first since election day.

That didn't stop Plano residents from continuing to discuss their opposition to the city helping fund the new arena, including those who voiced their disdain for the project prior to election day.

"They don’t want to subsidize a new hockey arena for the Stars' billionaire owner," said Kyle McGeehan, a resident against the arena. 

"One would think their voices would finally be acknowledged, but yet here they are with visual aids to boot just to make sure you hear them yet again."

Several residents held up signs that read "Puck No" in opposition of the future Stars arena during the city council meeting.

However, not all who spoke about the arena on Monday were in opposition to it.

"This is the best thing we can do there. Find the funding, look everywhere you can. This is a good thing for Plano. It’s good for you, good for the city of Plano. We need this," said Warren Casteel in support of the arena.

FOX 4's Amelia Jones reports a chant of "puck no" broke out at the end of the meeting.

What's next:

Plano City Manager Mark Israelson said in a statement that the city's financing approach for the new Stars arena would "need to be reassessed before City Council considers any actions."

Plano has committed $700 million in funding for the new Stars arena.

Meanwhile, Dallas leaders are angling for the team to stay in Downtown Dallas after Proposition A failed to pass.

Stars leadership say they are still focused on building their new arena in Plano, which they expect to be completed by 2031.