Momentum in the WNBA has never been higher, which is exactly why delays feel louder than ever.

As new stars push the league into its most visible era, the gap between promise and infrastructure is becoming harder to ignore. For the Dallas Wings, that gap widened again this week, right as expectations around the franchise continue to rise.

The uncomfortable truth surfaced when Greg Bibb confirmed that the Wings’ long-promised practice facility will not open on schedule. The delay doesn’t just stall a building project; it tests how seriously Dallas is prepared to invest in women’s basketball at a pivotal moment.

And that matters when your future is built around Paige Bueckers.

Bibb told The Dallas Morning News that the Wings’ $48.6 million training facility, originally slated for spring 2026, is now expected to open in spring 2027. The delay also affects the team’s game-day home, as renovations to Memorial Auditorium are now aligned with the same timeline.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed that we’re not getting ready to move into two facilities that we thought we were going to be moving into when we signed the agreement,” Bibb said.

The practice facility a 70,700-square-foot complex with two full courts, locker rooms, and performance spaces, was supposed to anchor the Wings’ move into Dallas proper. Instead, a project meant to signal permanence has become another waiting game.

That shift came after Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert acknowledged the city could not meet the original deadline, citing the scale of ongoing construction across the downtown convention center district.

On paper, the explanation is logistical. In context, it’s symbolic.

Dallas is juggling massive projects, including convention center redevelopment, arena planning, and broader downtown reshuffling. But as those priorities stack up, the Wings continue to operate in temporary conditions while men’s franchises move forward with long-term visions.

Bibb has been careful not to frame the issue as neglect. “They have a lot on their plate right now with the convention center district construction,” he said, while still emphasizing the Wings’ value to the city’s long-term plan.

Still, the contrast is difficult to miss. While NBA and NHL organizations explore billion-dollar futures, the Wings are asking for basic professional infrastructure and being told to wait another year.

That’s the uncomfortable truth Dallas now has to own.

Taking Control Comes With Risk

In response, the Wings have chosen to take matters into their own hands.

Rather than relying on city timelines, the franchise has moved toward self-developing the practice facility, giving the organization control over execution and exposure to cost overruns. It’s a calculated risk, but also a revealing one.

The Wings are effectively paying to prove they belong.

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That approach mirrors what other successful WNBA franchises have done. Las Vegas’s decision to invest independently in elite facilities helped transform the Aces into a destination organization. Dallas is now attempting a similar pivot but under tighter financial and political constraints.

The timing of this delay collides directly with the league’s broader power shift.

Bueckers, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, arrived in Dallas as part of a generational wave that has reshaped the league’s visibility. That wave is now influencing labor talks, expectations, and leverage.

ESPN analyst Alexa Philippou captured that shift while discussing the WNBA’s recent surge.

“The fanfare Clark received from college carried over to the WNBA, which saw a historic year in attendance and viewership,” Philippou said. “Other college stars, such as Angel Reese and, more recently, Paige Bueckers, also brought significant followings to the league.”

She added that the 2024 WNBA Finals were the most-watched in 25 years, proof that star power now translates directly into business impact.

That context matters. Players are entering CBA negotiations with unprecedented leverage. Facilities, salaries, and long-term investment are no longer abstract ideals; they are baseline expectations.

This isn’t about whether Paige Bueckers will leave tomorrow. It’s about whether Dallas is building a future that elite players believe in.

The Wings are betting their own money to close a credibility gap. The city is betting patience will hold. And the league is watching how franchises respond as women’s basketball enters its most profitable window yet.

The uncomfortable truth isn’t the delay itself.

It’s that in a league finally defined by momentum, waiting carries a cost, and Dallas is now racing the calendar to prove it understands that reality.