Choctaw Stadium renovation plans approved by Arlington City Council
ARLINGTON, Texas - Big events are planned for Arlington’s entertainment district in the coming years. And with that in mind, the city is considering some changes to the Texas Rangers’ old ballpark.
The Arlington City Council approved new plans Tuesday night to renovate Choctaw Stadium.
The city still owns the old ballpark, but the Rangers operate it.
The mayor of Arlington told FOX 4 the city always planned to improve and repurpose the stadium, so this is just another step forward.
The renovations will give the exterior of the stadium a facelift, increase public safety and add more parking.
"It goes to with what we intended to have happen years ago when we decided to go in with the Rangers and build Globe Life field," said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross.
Choctaw Stadium is the current home of the Arlington Renegades. It hosts concerts, soccer and other events and houses offices and retail.
The new plan calls for even more retail space and an Arlington police substation. It will also temporarily house Fire Station No. 8, among other changes.
"We bring a lot of people to our entertainment district. We want to make sure we have a police presence there, and people know they can be safe," Ross said.
The city will pay $4.2 million towards the project. In exchange, the Rangers agreed to give the new National Medal of Honor Museum 200 overflow parking spots. The museum opens next year.
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"There’s certain things we’re getting out of there," Ross said. "We’re helping them out. They’re helping us out."
The Rangers organization already invested almost $8 million in developing part of the stadium. A Starbucks opened last fall, and a new restaurant is set to open in June.
"It’s not just good for us, though; it’s a regional injection of all economic development," the mayor said. "People are going to be staying all over the metroplex, eating at restaurants, having a wonderful time around here."
The city council took it up for a vote at Tuesday's meeting, and it was a grand slam.
The improvements are also needed as Arlington prepares to be in the national and international spotlight over the next decade.
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This summer, Major League Baseball is holding its All-Star game at Globe Life Field. Then in 2026, the neighboring AT&T Stadium will host nine FIFA World Cup matches. And in 2030, it will welcome fans for the NCAA Final Four.
"We’re gonna make the best of it," Ross said. "We were born to do this, and we’re happy to keep it going."
The Rangers organization said it hopes new construction would begin in late summer after the All-Star game.
During All-Star week, Choctaw Stadium will be home to the All-Star Village, which is an event for fans.