One of the metroplex's historical venues could possibly be closing down soon.The rising economic cost of hosting concerts at the cavernous Dallas facility and American Airlines Center contributed to the success of the Nokia facility in Grand Prairie.I look back on several great moments in sports history,and those wonderful concerts. The sports events ,watching the track stars of the 80"s ,the NBA All Star Game, (I still can't get over Spud Webb dunking)and my Mavericks,Ro,Derek ,and Mark,the original triplets.Wow the concerts of the past!Prince bringing in the New Year,Rick James and his infamous concerts,and Parliament Funkadelic opening up the arena. The long ago dates I had with my friends watching Luther, the Commodores ,Whitney and many others .Dreams die hard,memories linger on. As a seventeen year old ,I looked upon with pride,the diamond that was Reunion,today as a forty seven year old I wax nostalgically for the past.
By RICHARD ABSHIRE / The Dallas Morning News
rabshire@dallasnews.com
Instead of a last hurrah, it was a last hallelujah for Reunion Arena.
Former home to the Mavericks' NBA playoff games and the Stars' Stanley Cup rally, the 28-year-old arena bowed out Saturday evening with "Noche de Sanidad y Mulagros," a Spanish-language evangelical revival hosted by California-based Una Voz Profetica a las Naciones, A Prophetic Voice for the Nations.
Prophet Adrian Amado predicted attendance at 13,000 for an evening "with the vision to help people with special needs by giving them words of hope and healing."
At 6:30 p.m. Saturday, an estimated 5,000 men, women and children were standing, clapping in rhythm . Admission was free.
Norma Smith has worked security at the arena and at other venues around town since 1993 and she doesn't like the idea of tearing the place down.
"The city should sell [Reunion] to somebody that will use it or lease it out," she said. "I'm very disenchanted."
After losing more than $6 million in the last five years hosting American Airlines Center's leftover events, Reunion's once-glamorous run may come to an end this month. The Dallas City Council is expected to vote Wednesday ,June 25 on shutting it down.
