American Airlines Center
Stars Gameday Guide
One interactive map for a Dallas Stars game at American Airlines Center in Victory Park: seating, entrances, the bag rules, parking, DART, the PNC Plaza pregame party, the anthem “STARS!” yell, the goal song and where to stay.
Everything Around The AAC
Turn layers on and off, tap any pin or list item for details and directions. Use Near me on gameday to see where you are relative to your garage, Victory Station and your entrance.
The arena and Victory Station use their published coordinates. Entrance, garage, plaza and pregame bar and restaurant pins are approximate (directions use each place’s address), so follow event signage and check the AAC parking page for your lot. If a pin is off, open this page with #pinedit at the end of the address to drag it into place.
Find Your Seat
Tap a seating area. The AAC has three levels: the Plaza level (sections 101–124), the Platinum club level (201–224) and the Terrace level (301–334). Always use the section on your mobile ticket.
Simplified diagram. Check the AAC floor plans for exact section locations and which end the Stars shoot at twice.
Choose a seating area
Each area shows who sits there and what to expect.
Before You Get In Line
Doors open 90 minutes before puck drop. The arena is cashless, and there’s no re-entry except at the smoking patios.
| Entrance | Where | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| South · PNC Plaza | Off Olive St. | The main entrance, with the Mike Modano and Dirk Nowitzki statues and the pregame party. |
| West | Victory Ave. | Closest to DART and TRE at Victory Station. |
| East | Houston St. | Closest to the Lexus Garage. |
| North | All Star Way | Across from Lot F accessible parking. |
What you can bring
- Wristlets, clutches and wallets up to 4.5″ x 6.5″ at any entrance
- Purses up to 14″ x 14″ x 6″ only at X-ray entry points
- Medical and parenting bags are allowed
Not allowed
- Backpacks and large totes
- There is no bag check on site
- Bags over the size limits
Paying inside
- Cards and mobile wallets only
- Kiosks turn cash into cards
- Two-drink limit per ID
What To Eat Inside
Zavala’s Barbeque
Brisket made with 44 Farms beef, plus El Taco Tex street tacos and churros.
Cheesesteaks & dogs
High Steaks does a Texas cheesesteak, and Big D Dogs serves a Sonoran hot dog.
Texas Beer Bar
On the Plaza concourse, with a rotating lineup from Texas breweries.
Parking, DART & TRE
There are more than 5,000 parking spaces near the arena, many within two blocks. Lots open 2 hours before the event and close 2 hours after, with no re-entry. Buy parking ahead on the AAC website.
| Where | Who can park | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lexus Garage | Pre-purchase / permit | East of the arena off Houston St., by the East entrance. |
| Silver Garage & surface lots | Mostly permit holders | Right next to the arena. |
| Cash lots | Public | Along Victory Ave. and around Nowitzki Way and Olive St. |
| Lot F (accessible) | ADA, pay on arrival | Across from the North entrance, first come, first served. |
| West End | Street and garages | South of Woodall Rodgers Fwy., about a 10-minute walk. |
Victory Station
The Green and Orange lines stop at Victory Station, right next to the arena’s west side. Trinity Railway Express trains stop there too.
Route 49
DART Route 49 runs from Rosa Parks Plaza downtown to the East entrance.
Driving tips
- The arena sits between I-35E and Woodall Rodgers Fwy.
- Pre-buy parking so you aren’t circling Victory Park
- Give yourself time for big games and concerts
Party On PNC Plaza
PNC Plaza party
Street hockey, a slapshot cage and cornhole outside the South entrance before every home game, with live music on weekends.
Bars nearby
Hero by HG on Nowitzki Way, The End of the Trail on N. Houston St. and the rooftop patio at Happiest Hour on Olive St.
Restaurants
Billy Can Can for Texas saloon fare, Mesero for Tex-Mex and Urban Italia on Nowitzki Way.
Know The Yell, Songs & Colors
Yell “STARS!”
The Stars’ longest-running tradition: fans shout “STAR!” and “STARS!” during the national anthem. It goes back to Dallas’s minor-league Freeze, whose fans shouted “FREEZE!” at “home of the free.”
Wear Victory Green
Victory Green is the Stars’ color. Say hi to the Mike Modano statue on the steps into PNC Plaza on your way in.
The “STARS!” Yell
Where else can you yell during the national anthem?
Puck Off
By Pantera’s Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell. It plays after every Stars goal.
Friends in Low Places
Garth Brooks gets the loudest crowd singalong of the night.
Dallas Around The Game
Victory Park
Restaurants, shops and a movie theater along Victory Park Ln., steps from the arena.
Uptown & the West End
Uptown bars are a short ride north, and the West End is a walk south past Woodall Rodgers Fwy.
Things to do
Klyde Warren Park, the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and the Dallas Arts District.
Where To Stay For A Stars Weekend
Stay in Victory Park or downtown and walk or take DART to the game.
W Dallas – Victory
About 0.1 miles from the arena on Victory Park Ln.
Hotel Details →Fairmont Dallas
About 0.6 miles away in the Arts District, with a pool deck.
Hotel Details →Ride DART Instead
Any hotel near a DART Green or Orange line stop gets you to Victory Station without paying for event parking.
Run The Night Like A Line Change
Information compiled from the Dallas Stars and published arena guides. Parking, entrances and policies can change, so check Stars Game Day Central before you leave. Entrance and parking pins are approximate.