Globe Life Park, the home of the Texas Rangers, may be relatively new, but that hasn’t stopped the team from looking to build a new ballpark.
Just when it seemed like things couldn’t get any bigger in Texas, the Texas Rangers announced plans to build a new stadium set to open by 2021. The team will partner with the City of Arlington to build a retractable-roof facility, as reported by Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News via MLB Trade Rumors.
The new agreement puts a halt on all speculation that other cities, including Dallas, were trying to lure the Rangers out of Arlington and Globe Life Park. TR Sullivan of MLB.com reported that the stadium construction will likely be underway in the near future, as the team will likely play in the new complex before their current lease expires.
Rangers will play there no later than 2021
— TR Sullivan (@Sullivan_Ranger) May 20, 2016
The team and the city are planning on splitting the $1 billion dollar cost, as the Rangers will pay $500 million and Arlington will pay the other half.
Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that the cost to build will not include a new tax, but will instead be an extension of the current stadium tax in the area. Sullivan also noted that the agreement between the Rangers and Arlington will run through Jan. 1, 2054.
An election will likely be necessary for final approval of the project, but there shouldn’t many barriers to having an election.
Nov. 8 election, if approved by City Council, would be needed for public funding
— TR Sullivan (@Sullivan_Ranger) May 20, 2016
Globe Life Park is among the older ballparks in the major leagues, as it’s been around since 1994, but is still relatively new in terms of stadiums. Interestingly enough, the Rangers announced plans to build an entertainment complex, called Texas Live!, next to Globe Life Park in December.
The complex is still set to open in 2018, but construction has been delayed until later this year. However, it is unclear if those plans will change now that the new stadium has been announced.
While a retractable-roof facility may not seem necessary in Texas, team officials said it will help playing conditions in the dog days of summer when temperatures hover around the 100’s.
Globe Life Park – which was known as The Ballpark in Arlington up until two years ago – is beloved by fans but Grant noted that attendance has been suppressed in August and September as the Texas heat typically rises to yearly highs.
Official plans have yet to be unveiled for the new stadium, but with recent trends it can be assumed that the Rangers will look for a smaller venue with more options for other entertainment in the surrounding area. The Texas Live! deal displayed the Rangers desire to stay in Arlington, and the new complex will surely feature something similar.
The Rangers now join the Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks currently looking to move stadiums. The Braves announced plans to move to the suburbs of Atlanta after only 20 seasons in Turner Field, which has been mired with issues since it opened. The Diamondbacks have yet to unveil new stadium plans, but have expressed their dissatisfaction with their current home, Chase Field, and its lack of modern amenities.
It’s worth noting that the Miami Marlins, the most recent team to open a new stadium, built their new complex for $639 million but have still dealt with low attendance and backlash from taxpayers.
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However, Texas will likely benefit from the move in a financial and organizational sense. The new complex will be a big draw to potential free agents and fans, alike, and will surely be another big draw for Texas sports, alongside the massive AT&T Stadium.