The Texas Rangers organization are already making plans for the construction of a new ballpark to replace Globe Life Park in Arlington which is only 23 years old. New renderings of the proposed stadium have surfaced and many can't believe but comment on how similar the renderings resemble Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros. The new ballpark wouldn't open until circa 2020 or 2021 and the proposed design of the stadium is not final.
The ballpark will feature a retractable roof to protect fans from the violent Texas summers which could have a positive impact on attendance. Adjacent to the ballpark is AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, and a Six Flags amusement park. A mixed use development, known as Texas Live!, has also been proposed. The area will feature new retail shops, bars, restaurants and hotels. HKS Inc., an architecture firm in Dallas, Texas, will oversee the construction of the new home of the Texas Rangers.
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The new ballpark is expected to be much smaller than Globe Life Park which seats nearly 50,000 people and is one of the largest ballparks in Major League Baseball. The new ballpark will have a capacity in the neighborhood of 42,000 seats. As usual, the Dallas area taxpayers will foot the majority of the $1 billion dollars needed to build the new stadium. That money will be generated via $500 million in bonds through a half cent tax increase, a 2% tax on hotel occupancy, ticket and parking taxes and a 5% rental car tax.
The Texas Live! project is a $250 million project that will be constructed with $100 million contributed from city funding and additional tax incentives. The development will debut just before the 2018 Major League Baseball season. The Texas Rangers organization is unsure what will come of Globe Life Park after the new stadium debuts a few years from now. The stadium could either get the Astrodome (former home of the Houston Astros) and Tiger Stadium (former home of the Detroit Tigers) treatment and stand vacant for decades, it could be imploded immediately or redeveloped into another attraction. Knowing the history of new stadiums and arenas in professional sports, Rangers fans should expect a new naming rights deal and corporate sponsor to name the future home of the Texas Rangers.
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