Playoffs helping sell Dallas condos

Dallas Business Journal - June 12, 2006
by Glenn Hunter
Editor

The chairman of Hillwood -- which owns Dallas' Victory Park, home of the American Airlines Center -- says the NBA Finals have helped sell luxury condominiums at the W Dallas Victory Hotel & Residences there.

"We had one guy who came for the game say, 'Look, I've got to have a place at the W; I want to live here,' " said Hillwood CEO Ross Perot Jr. "He called back the first thing this morning and is signing a contract."

During a June 9 reception for media covering the NBA Finals at the Victory Park sales office, Perot said the Dallas Mavericks' two games with the Miami Heat at the AAC have had a "huge impact" on Dallas economically.

"I'm not an expert, but I'd say about $40 million to $50 million per game will be brought into Dallas (from Thursday to Sunday) with all the outside money, all the media people traveling here," said Perot, who owns 5 percent of the Mavs. "And that doesn't count all the advertising -- just all the people around the world hearing about Dallas."

Perot said he'd invited President George W. Bush to the Finals, but Bush graciously declined. Gov. Rick Perry attended the June 11 game, which the Mavericks won to take a 2-0 series lead.

So, what's Perot's prediction for the Finals' outcome? "We're going to win in four games," he answered with a grin. "We're going to sweep 'em."