After it was defeated a 2020 election, Amarillo officials approved the civic center's funding anyway two years later.
Mayors of the biggest cities in Texas want the state to fund multiple programs while still allowing cities to maintain local control.
"Something feels amiss about what the city is doing here and how it is manipulating statutes," an attorney with the Office of the Attorney General said.
The lawsuit is set for a trial in early October in Potter County at which the propriety of the debt issuance will be evaluated.
The group of mayors pointed to red flag laws, expanded background checks, and a 21-year-old limit to purchase "assault weapons."
The petitioners submitted over 10,000 signatures to force the city to get voter approval before approving a $35 million expense.
As Congressional leadership begins planning state and local government aid, 15 Texas mayors penned a letter officially requesting federal assistance.
