Promises sound different when the calendar starts catching up. Back in September 2025, city officials stood in West Oak Cliff and spoke confidently about timelines, delivery dates, and a state-of-the-art home for the Dallas Wings. So, spring 2026 was their target to complete the Wings practice facility. But as February moves closer to an end, some things have remained untouched.

During a council meeting, frustration was the core feeling among the members as they questioned why construction on the facility has yet to meaningfully begin.

The project’s budget had already swelled from a projected $54 million to over $81 million, but the development company was still unable to deliver on time, prompting the Wings to step in directly. The franchise is prepared to commit approximately $27 million in private funding and cover any cost overruns necessary to assume control of the facility’s development.

If approved, the construction responsibility will be transferred from the city’s development partner, McKissack & McKissack, to the Dallas Wings themselves.

“(City) staff literally looked in the camera and said, ‘We will have this open in spring of 2026,”City councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn, who represents District 12, said. “It’s the end of February. In Texas, this is pretty much spring. We’re about to have spring break. We haven’t had a groundbreaking, let alone an opening.”

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While city staff cited updated WNBA facility standards and coordination challenges within the broader convention center redevelopment as the reason for the delays, patience appears to be wearing thin.

Until the facility is built, the Wings remain in their current Arlington facility, which they partially share with the University of Texas.

Under the proposed agreement, the city would remain capped at its original $54 million contribution and cover $653,000 in delay-related fees. Everything beyond that threshold, including the newly projected funding gap, would be financed by the Wings.

The resolution now heads back to the committee before returning to the full council for final approval.

Inside the Dallas Wings Practice Facility

The West Oak Cliff practice facility isn’t just another training site; it is being designed to be the physical foundation of the franchise’s move into Dallas.

Under the agreement between the City of Dallas and the Dallas Wings, the project must include:

• The footprint is expected to span approximately 70,000 square feet, or slightly less, if performance and league requirements are satisfied.
• At least two full basketball courts.
• Dedicated locker rooms.
• A weight room.
• Kitchen facilities.
• Restrooms.
• Office and training space.
• Roughly 3,400 square feet – designated specifically for community benefit programming.

After years of playing at UT Arlington, the Wings are preparing for a long-term move into Dallas, beginning with a planned 15-year lease at Memorial Auditorium downtown. However, updated city documents now project the practice facility’s completion in 2027 and Memorial Auditorium’s readiness in 2028, pushing the timeline further than initially envisioned.

Until the concrete is poured, the plans remain just plans. But on paper, the West Oak Cliff facility is structured to be far more than a practice gym. It is intended to be the Dallas Wings’ permanent basketball headquarters.