Before we even get into the details of this arena and our experience there, let us describe
to you the amazing coincidences of circumstance that brought us here. We planned this
trip in February as a Rangers/Astros trip as we would see the 'Dome on Friday the 11th and
Arlington on the 12th and 13th. At that time Andrew mentioned that that was Stanley Cup
Finals time and we would want to be home if the Sabres were somehow involved. Peter,
realizing that the Sabres hadn't been that far in 24 years and seeing that they were in the
midst of a freefall basically had a good laugh with that one.Yet as the playoffs went on and
the Sabres rolled through Ottawa and Boston it appeared that yes indeed this may be the
year. So when the Sabres dispatched the Maple Leafs in 5 to earn the right to play for the
Stanley Cup our eyes turned to the west to see how the Avs/Stars series would finish. In
order for us to see this venue it came down to this, the Stars had to take their series in
7..Miraculously everything fell into place and the roadtrippers began their Texas trip a day
early on a hot day in downtown Dallas.

Outside the venue
We arrived several hours early at Reunion to pick up our tix at willcall and seeing that they
were not available yet we decided to go for a walk around town to see what this part of
Dallas is about. We found that just a few blocks walk away there is an area of town called
the West End. This is an entertainment area just filled with places to eat and have lots of
fun, down home Texas style!! Just off a few blocks in another direction you will see the
infamous Texas Schoolbook Depository. This building is now a museum to JFK. After we
had dinner we wandered back towards Reunion where the atmosphere had begun to liven
up.

When we returned we found fans  decked out in all shades of green and gold and in every
way possible. The Stars trip to the Stanley Cup Finals had become the high point for fan
enthusiasm for a team that arrived in town just six years prior. We were truly amazed to see
how at least for the time being that Dallas had put their beloved Cowboys on the back
burner and embraced the Stars. As for us we were two of the very few dressed in black and
red and while we did take some heat from fans, it was mostly in good fun and of a clean
nature. We did receive plenty of attention from the Dallas media who wanted to get an idea
of what the other teams fans had on their minds. We spoke with so many media personnel
that in a fit of disbelief Peter tossed around the idea of hiring an agent!!

Concourses and seating bowl
Once inside we encountered some very narrow concourses that made it difficult to
negotiate. Normally when we visit a venue we like to do a grand tour around the entire
concourse(one main concourse only here). However, the tightness of the corridors made
this impossible. We did get to notice a decent array of food and drink selection and a small
main team store for the Mavs and Stars and that's about as far as we got. When we stepped
into the seating area we found an intimate two-level bowl with room for 17,000 people to
see the Stars. We sat 3 rows from the top, and had a great view of the ice, but quickly
realized that there were no premium seats, and that is why this arena's days as an NHL and
NBA venue are numbered. Too bad, as this is a great place to watch a game. But then again
considering what happened to the Sabres in the series they could blow this place up to
high heaven for all we care!!!

Premium seating
In an interesting twist, there is a club lounge OUTSIDE the building.... that's right, premium
ticket holders walk out the doors, through a canopied walkway and out to a covered lounge
area which is outdoors. This is Dallas, and for the most part, the weather here can support
such a set up.

Extra Points
Be sure to catch the National Anthem here and be prepared to yell "STARS" when those
parts of the anthem come as everyone in the building will join in with you. The heat and
humidity of Dallas had reeked havoc on the ice surface at Reunion and to rectify that the
league brought in giant humidifying machines to pump air into the arena that would help to
keep the ice stable. We met former Sabre goaltender John Blue('96) sitting near us at the
game and we sat next to the parents of NHL brothers Wayne and Keith Primeau, though we
didn't realize that until we saw them again in our section at Game 4. Sabres lost 4-2 as Brett
Hull beat Hasek with a bullet with less than three minutes to go. Little did we know at the
time how much pain (and controversy) he would cause in the coming days.

Summary
Nice, intimate arena, but with the new American Airlines Center going up soon, this place's
days are numbered.

RATING: (1-5 stars): 2 STARS
Reunion Arena
Reunion
Arena   




Dallas,
Texas   




June 10,
1999     




(venue
closed
May, 2001)





Buffalo
Sabres at
Dallas
Stars     

GAME 2   
STANLEY
CUP
FINALS