By David Ireland
It is with mixed emotions and heartfelt appreciation that the American Airlines Center is announcing the retirement of Senior Vice President Arena Programming, Ken Kuhl, after twenty-one years at the Dallas arena and nearly forty years in the industry. His duties included oversight of all event operational matters for the venue’s major tenants (Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars), legendary special events, and the overall management of the facility.
Dave Brown, COO of American Airlines Center, said: “Ken’s contributions to the success of the American Airlines Center have been enormous and invaluable. His determination to position Dallas as a must play destination for major touring entertainment has far exceeded expectations and his facility management acumen is second to none. We cannot thank Ken enough for his leadership over the past 21 years. He will be dearly missed.”
Kuhl has been instrumental in the management of many high-profile events at the American Airlines Center 
including opening the venue with the Eagles (who have grossed over $21,000,00 in revenue at the AAC and have their own banner hung from the rafters), three Big 12 Basketball Championships, 2002 & 2006 NCAA Men’s Basketball, 2007 NHL All-Star Game, 1999 Stanley Cup, 2003 USFSA National Figure Skating Championships, 2017 NCAA Basketball Women’s Final Four, and the 2006 and 2011 NBA Finals in addition to the 2011 NBA Championship Celebration and Parade. In his 39 years in facility management, Kuhl has been involved with other large events such as the 1986 Super Bowl, 1987 NCAA Men’s Final Four, and the 1988 Republican National Convention. In 2007, he created and managed Big D NYE, a major New Year’s Eve celebration for the City of Dallas which acquired more than 35,000 attendees per year and brought families, friends, and loved ones together for eight years. He’s most recently been an intricate part of bringing the NCAA Women’s Final Four to Dallas in 2023, where he will remain on the management team as a consultant.
American Airlines Center has consistently been ranked as one of the top ten arenas in the world for tickets sold in live entertainment thanks to Ken’s persistence of bringing quality entertainment for the DFW metroplex. Since the opening of the American Airlines Center in 2001, Kuhl has facilitated and booked over 4,000 events that have touched over 40 million people.
Ken’s impact will continue through all of us that have had the honor to work with him. Although the industry is losing a legend, there’s comfort knowing that he has earned the right to turn in his badge and enjoy his time with his wife Becky, two daughters Brittany and Kortney, and his buddy Ruger. Congratulations Ken Kuhl on the unprecedented journey in the industry and hope your retirement brings you the joy you have brought all of us for 39 years!
David Ireland is Director of Marketing for American Airlines Center.
