Texas Rangers fans debate the need for new ballpark

Plans for the new $1 billion dollar ballpark for the Texas Rangers in Arlington are well underway, with the final decision up to voters in November.

And while there are plenty of fans who are happy to see a new stadium with a roof (especially for the hot summer days), a Thursday meeting with an Arlington homeowner's association shows there are still some very vocal critics.

A district three meeting was held for its residents’ concerns. City Councilman Robert Rivera agreed to attend the meeting, knowing full well he would be answering questions about the proposed new Rangers Ballpark. But the issue became who was asking questions.

During Thursday’s Texas Rangers game, fans braved the heat the blazing hot seats during the 100-degree weather. The Rangers won't have a tough sell to Thursday’s fans for building a brand new retractable roof, air conditioned Ballpark.

The tough sell may be the Arlington residents at a town hall meeting with the Stoneridge Homeowners Association. It was billed as an opportunity for those who had questions about the new ballpark to ask those questions to their city councilman, Robert Rivera.

When FOX 4 reporter Brandon Todd asked the Pablo Frias, the organizer of the meeting, if the two dozen people who attended the meeting were for or against the ballpark, he said, "That's not really the problem. It's just the money that we're collecting and the fashion that we're collecting it and whether it's really worth it.”

But it became clear as Frias began choosing people from the crowd to ask questions where folks stood and whether they belonged to the town hall meeting.

And then there were other questions, all from people called on by Frias.

"There's no citizen input whatsoever,” one person said. “And then all of a sudden, it's going to a first vote by the city council. There's no input, no give and take whatsoever."