The City of Arlington and Texas Rangers on Thursday celebrated the groundbreaking of a $1.1 billion retractable-roof ballpark that will draw tens thousands of fans to the Entertainment District year-round and keep the Texas Rangers playing here for decades to come.
Mayor Jeff Williams and Arlington City Council members, Texas Rangers leadership, and Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred were among the hundreds who attended the ceremony in a ballpark parking lot south of Randol Mill Road that will eventually become home to Globe Life Field. The 1.7-million-square-foot park, set to open in 2020, is being built as a public-private partnership between the City and the Rangers.
"Beginning next week, where we're sitting, we're going to start excavation and in 30 short months we're going to be playing baseball here," Texas Rangers Co-Chairman Ray Davis said.
Davis thanked city leaders, both past and present, for working closely with the Texas Rangers since the team began playing in The American Dream City in 1972.
"It's been a joy to work with the City of Arlington, and the Texas Rangers organization cannot thank you enough for your support, your comments and at times your criticism. That's ok. That's what makes us better," Davis said. "We're all striving for the same goal, to make the Texas Rangers better and to make the City of Arlington better."
Williams said Thursday's construction milestone is the beginning of a new chapter in Arlington's long-standing relationship with the Rangers. Globe Life Field, designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction Company, will set a new standard for Major League Baseball parks and help make Arlington's Entertainment District a world-class destination, he said.
"It's another one of those dream-come-true moments here in our American Dream City. And today especially is another example of our can-do spirit," Williams said.
Manfred congratulated the Texas Rangers and the City of Arlington on the ballpark project and said he could see Globe Life Field hosting events such as an All-Star game or World Baseball Classic final.
"This new ballpark will allow fans of the Rangers, fans here in Texas to enjoy Major League Baseball with added comfort. When you add to that the prospect of a project like Texas Life! that provides the type of complete entertainment experience that's so popular in our sports, I can't exaggerate the amount of excitement we have for this project," Manfred said. "It really will be great for this area and great for the Rangers."
Office of Communication intern Kimberly Idrogo contributed to this report.
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Ballpark Project, Texas Rangers
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