A secret recording of Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams, in which he appears to label some opponents of a new Major League Baseball stadium development in the US city as “misdirected” and “rabid”, has been released.
Arlington residents will next week vote for or against a proposal that would fund the development of a $1bn (£817.5m/$905m), state-of-the-art stadium for the Texas Rangers. The stadium would be built next to Globe Life Park, the Rangers’ current home.
The proposal has split the city, with a recent poll carried out by the WFAA television channel and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper revealing that 42 per cent of voters supported the proposal, with 42 per cent against it. Sixteen per cent said they were unsure how they would vote.
Williams has publicly backed the proposal and is chairman of the ‘Vote Yes!’ campaign. The recording, which was sent to media by the 'Citizens for a Better Arlington' opposition group, was made on Friday as Williams spoke to members of a citizens group, Action Arlington.
According to the Star-Telegram, Williams could also be heard saying about some opponents, “you wouldn’t leave your kids with them to baby-sit them,” and that “(some) do not have the intelligence there to be able to translate that we’re investing money in the entertainment district to make money”.
Brian Mayes, campaign manager and consultant for the lead support of the ‘Vote Yes!’ campaign, said Williams was only speaking about 'Citizens for a Better Arlington', and not about voters in general.
“Jeff was very clearly talking about the seven to 10 people leading the (Better Arlington group),” Mayes told the Star-Telegram. “This (the release of the recording) is a desperate, last-minute attack on their part, and it just proves they don’t have the character needed to run the positive campaign that Arlington voters deserve.”
In May, the Rangers announced plans to build the stadium, which will feature a retractable roof. Arlington City Council approved calls for the proposition to be put to a public vote.
Should residents vote in favour of the development, the city would contribute $500m towards the construction of the facility, with the money to be generated by raises in half-cent sales tax, room tax and car-rental tax.
The Rangers will remain at Globe Life Park if the proposal is not approved.
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