Following the Dallas Mavericks’ decision to relocate to the Valley View district, downtown developer Tanya Ragan is urging the city not to lose sight of the momentum, investment, and unfinished potential within the downtown core, making the case that the broader conversation about downtown investment extends well beyond where the Mavericks ultimately build.
Key Highlights
- Dallas Mavericks announce plans to move their arena to the Valley View area
- Ragan emphasizes that downtown Dallas remains central to the region’s economic future
- The urban core has seen billions in public and private investment over the last decade
- Ongoing redevelopment in the Farmers Market, West End, and Newpark districts continues regardless of the arena decision
- Ragan frames the Mavericks’ move as part of a regional development story, not the end of downtown’s growth
Why This Matters
The Mavericks’ relocation sparked speculation about what it means for downtown Dallas. Ragan’s perspective reframes the narrative: the urban core is not losing relevance, it is evolving. With major projects underway and long-term planning already in motion, downtown remains a foundational economic engine for the city and a central piece of Dallas’ regional growth story.
“The Mavericks’ move is a regional win, but it doesn’t close the book on downtown Dallas. The urban core is still where the city’s long-term future is being written.”
Tanya Ragan, President, Wildcat Management
As Seen on Business Insider

Founder and President of Wildcat Management, Tanya Ragan is a Dallas real estate developer, investor, and entrepreneur with twenty years developing some of North Texas’s most recognized neighborhoods. 2024 Texas Icon. Top 100 CRE Influencer. Co-author of Blaze Your Own Trail. She started in fashion, detoured through oil fields, built half of downtown Dallas, and has opinions about all three.