Mark Cuban sues Mavericks owner over arena deal and control

Mark Cuban, the former majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has initiated legal action against the team's current governor, Patrick Dumont, alleging he was improperly shut out of lucrative business opportunities and denied promised control over basketball operations following his 2023 sale of the franchise. The petition, filed this week in Dallas County District Court, escalates a long-simmering dispute into a formal legal battle over the team's future direction.

Cuban sold a controlling 69 percent stake in the Mavericks in December 2023 to the families of Miriam Adelson and her son-in-law, Patrick Dumont, for a valuation of $3.5 billion. He retained a 27 percent minority stake. In his court filing, Cuban asserts that the sale was predicated on a verbal "handshake deal" where he would retain authority over all basketball operations while Dumont would manage the business side, including the pursuit of a destination resort casino in Dallas. Cuban claims this agreement has been repeatedly violated.

The central allegation involves the team's plans to relocate from downtown Dallas. The Mavericks recently signed an option to purchase approximately 104 acres at the former Valley...