Economy Slowing Development Of Planned Glorypark Project

Chances Of Opening Glorypark In Time For 2011 Super Bowl Shrinking Daily

The economic recession has "sabotaged much of the planned" Glorypark development around the Cowboys' new stadium and Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, as the "bright lights, restaurants, hotels and pedestrian-friendly shopping district are nowhere to be seen," according to Jeff Mosier of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. The neighborhoods around the stadium, "aside from road improvements, a row of new town homes and a few more commercial vacancies, ... differ little from when construction began," and the chances of "any major development opening in time for the 2011 Super Bowl are shrinking daily." The 1.2 million-square-foot project also is "being redesigned after nine months on the shelf and has no timeline yet." As a result, when the Cowboys hold their first preseason game at the stadium in August, it is "likely that rather than upscale sports bars, the closest dining will be CiCi's Pizza, Panda Express, Pitt Grill and a handful of other small restaurants." But Arlington Deputy City Manager Trey Yelverton said that Glorypark "or something similar to it is still very important to the city's plans." Yelverton: "It's going to capture dollars from people who come early and stay late." Yelverton added that the project "would act as an anchor for other development and improve traffic flow by giving people more to do before and after games." Hicks Sports Group COO Casey Shilts, whose company is developing the project, added that she is "not sure that it's useful to use the name Glorypark, which is now only a placeholder." Stilts: "Every time we use the term Glorypark, we think of the project that we were in the midst of developing. Really, what we've done is taken a step back and looked at what we think is the best use for that land and what direction we're going to go with that project" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/21).