Major League Baseball franchise the Texas Rangers has broken ground on its retractable-roof stadium that is set to be up and running for the 2020 season.
The $1.1bn (£823m/€932m) ballpark in Arlington will boast a 41,000 capacity and will be neighbours with another under-construction project, Texas Live!
In addition, Globe Life Park, the team’s current home ground, will be renovated and incorporated into the overall entertainment complex.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and the Rangers ownership were in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony for the team’s Global Life Field, which is located across the street from the current stadium that has been the Rangers’ home since 1994.
“It really is an amazing project,” Manfred said. “I think of it as another example of the commitment of Ray Davis, Bob Simpson, Neil Leibman, the whole Rangers ownership group to building a real winning baseball tradition here in Texas.
“Every stadium project has it’s own timeline and challenges, but I can honestly say I have never seen one that went more smoothly or more quickly than this one. This new ballpark will allow fans of the Rangers and fans in Texas to enjoy baseball in added comfort.”
Manfred added that the new ballpark will be an ideal location to host events such as All-Star Games or a World Baseball Classic final.
The new stadium will be constructed in a public-private partnership with the Rangers and the city of Arlington, with the community voting in approval of the deal last November.
“I think that we have a long tradition in baseball,” Manfred said. “Where communities make the kind of commitment that Arlington has made here to baseball, that we like to bring special events – something like an All-Star Game, WBC Final, something like that – and I think that this is the kind of facility that would be perfect for that.”
Image: HKS
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