An Arlington proposition to help fund at least half of the MLB Rangers' new $1B, retractable roof ballpark last night "passed easily" with voters, according to Mosier & Brumfield of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. The deal will "keep the Rangers in their original hometown through the team’s 82nd season, which would come" in '53. The victory "starts an aggressive timeline to retire Globe Life Park and get the Rangers in a new ballpark" no later than '21 and maybe as early as '20. Rangers Exec VP/Business Operations Rob Matwick said that the team "plans to get a quick start on the design" of the new ballpark and "potentially hire a general contractor early next year." The team also announced it will "launch a website" today to "get the public's input and ideas." The proposition "generated fierce opposition by those who thought it was too much money and also rejected claims that it was a 50-50 cost-sharing split and didn’t include new taxes." The deal calls for the city to issue $500M in bonds "to help pay" for the ballpark. A half-cent of sales tax, 2% hotel occupancy tax and 5% car rental tax "would pay off those bonds over an estimated 30 years." Voters also "approved a ticket tax" of up to 10% and parking tax of up to $3 at the new ballpark. That money "would be used for some of the Rangers’ portion of the debt, which was criticized by the opposition campaign." The size of the new ballpark "hasn’t been determined, but it’s expected to be much smaller than Globe Life Park, which can hold 48,114 fans." The Rangers’ agreement with the city requires that the new ballpark "hold at least 38,000." The team "expects capacity to be closer to 42,000" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/9).
MAJORITY SUPPORT: In Ft. Worth, Baker & Cadwallader note 60% of the voters "approved a financial package" for the new ballpark. The 60-40% margin "would easily exceed" the 55-45% margin of victory in the election for AT&T Stadium. The Rangers have said for years that they have "wanted a climate-controlled ballpark" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 11/9). Rangers co-Chair Ray Davis said that yet again the money that he and the ownership group will use to fund their half of the public-private financing arrangement "will not affect the baseball operations." Also in Ft. Worth, Jeff Wilson notes often when a ballpark is about to be replaced, teams "stop putting money into it and it become a bit messy the final year." But Matwick said that ownership is committed to "keeping Globe Life Park in tip-top shape." The Rangers "won’t invest in significant projects, like a new videoboard or a redo of Vandergriff Plaza, but the ballpark won’t start falling apart either." The club also "plans to refurbish Globe Life after the new ballpark opens" (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 11/8).
CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES: A FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM editorial states Arlington voters yesterday "slammed the door on any possible departure" of the club. Rangers fans across Tarrant County and everywhere else "should join the celebration." Approval of the ballpark construction "also spotlights" the adjacent $250M Texas Live! entertainment/hotel/convention complex next door. It is a 50-50 "partnership between the Rangers and The Cordish Companies," and there is "reason to hope that Texas Live! itself could have almost as much impact on Arlington as keeping the Rangers" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 11/9). Former Arlington Mayor Richard Greene in a special to the STAR-TELEGRAM notes Arlington voters "focused on something positive" amid the contentious presidential election (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 11/9).
