In an unsurprising but still notable development, the proposal for a new Texas Rangers ballpark has taken a step toward being placed on the November ballot.
Tuesday night saw the Arlington City Council approve one reading of an ordinance that calls for a special election on the ballpark, a vote that would take place on November 8. Another step calls for the second reading which, if approved next week, would secure the proposal’s place on the upcoming ballot.
In anticipation of this, proponents and opponents of the project have already begun stating their cases. Campaigning from both sides is well underway, putting the $1 billion ballpark at the center of some intense debate. The vote in Arlington coincided with a public meeting, a gathering that brought opinions from both sides. More from the Dallas Morning News:
“We’ve got to keep the Rangers here in Arlington, where they belong,” said Sylvia Greene, speaking in favor of a proposed retractable-roof stadium to replace Globe Life Park. “They are critical to our economy, and the Rangers have been the building block for all the good things that have come to Arlington.”
Like many pro-stadium residents, Greene was worried that the Rangers might leave their city if the proposal doesn’t pass in November.
“There’s no question the threat is real,” she said. “We have to keep our team here.”
William Busby, a four-year resident of Arlington, was just as passionate in his stance against the stadium.
“When you have a stadium that is 22 years old and is already paid off and everybody loves it, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me,” he said.
Under the proposal, taxes used to pay for the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium would be extended to cover Arlington’s portion of the ballpark funding. The team and the city are proposing an even split of the cost of the retractable-roof facility, which would open in 2020 or 2021.
Image courtesy Populous.
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