The Ballpark in Arlington
Located in Arlington, Texas

Stadiums Dallas The Ballpark in Arlington

In April 1989, Rangers owner Eddie Chiles sold the team to an investment group headed by George W. Bush. The aging Arlington Stadium was outdated and did not have amenities that helped make other baseball franchises more profitable. As a result, the team could not compete with other big-city teams for good players. In an effort to fund the project through public money instead of private financing, the Rangers threatened to leave Arlington. The city of Arlington spent $150,000 on an advertising campaign to persuade voters to approve the funding through a referendum by printing brochures, placing telemarketing calls, and planning a "Hands Around Arlington Day." On January 19, 1991, over 65% of voters approved the deal, allowing the city government to cover 71% of the costs ($135 million out of $191 million) of building the new ballpark. The deal called for the city to raise the sales tax by half a cent to go toward construction. Both houses of the Texas Legislature unanimously approved the public purpose of the ballpark, and Texas Governor Ann Richards signed it all into law. As part of the deal, the city created a separate corporation, the Arlington Sports Facilities Development Authority (ASFDA), to manage construction. Using authority granted to it by the city, the ASFDA seized several tracts of land around the stadium site using eminent domain for parking and future development. Construction on the stadium, which was dubbed The Ballpark in Arlington, began on April 2, 1992, a short distance away from Arlington Stadium, the stadium it would replace, and the new Ballpark in Arlington opened on April 1, 1994, in an exhibition contest between the Rangers and the New York Mets. The first official game was on April 11 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Ameriquest bought the naming rights to the ballpark on May 7, 2004, and renamed it Ameriquest Field in Arlington. The Rangers severed their relationship with Ameriquest on March 19, 2007, and announced the park would be renamed Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

In April 1989, Rangers owner Eddie Chiles sold the team to an investment group headed by George W. Bush. The aging Arlington Stadium was outdated and did not have amenities that helped make other baseball franchises more profitable. As a result, the team could not compete with other big-city teams for good players. In an effort to fund the project through public money instead of private financing, the Rangers threatened to leave Arlington. The city of Arlington spent $150,000 on an advertising campaign to persuade voters to approve the funding through a referendum by printing brochures, placing telemarketing calls, and planning a "Hands Around Arlington Day." On January 19, 1991, over 65% of voters approved the deal, allowing the city government to cover 71% of the costs ($135 million out of $191 million) of building the new ballpark. The deal called for the city to raise the sales tax by half a cent to go toward construction. Both houses of the Texas Legislature unanimously approved the public purpose of the ballpark, and Texas Governor Ann Richards signed it all into law. As part of the deal, the city created a separate corporation, the Arlington Sports Facilities Development Authority (ASFDA), to manage construction. Using authority granted to it by the city, the ASFDA seized several tracts of land around the stadium site using eminent domain for parking and future development. Construction on the stadium, which was dubbed The Ballpark in Arlington, began on April 2, 1992, a short distance away from Arlington Stadium, the stadium it would replace, and the new Ballpark in Arlington opened on April 1, 1994, in an exhibition contest between the Rangers and the New York Mets. The first official game was on April 11 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Ameriquest bought the naming rights to the ballpark on May 7, 2004, and renamed it Ameriquest Field in Arlington. The Rangers severed their relationship with Ameriquest on March 19, 2007, and announced the park would be renamed Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Stadium Details

Name The Ballpark in Arlington

Style Open Air Stadium
Retro-Classic Architecture

Capacity 48,114

Surface Grass

Outfield 332-390-400-381-325

Location 1000 Ballpark Way
Arlington, TX 76011

Architects David M. Schwarz
HKS Inc.

Owner City of Arlington

Links

Find stadium collectibles on eBay

Known As

Globe Life Park in Arlington 2014‑2021

Rangers Ballpark in Arlington 2007‑2013

Ameriquest Field in Arlington 2005‑2006

The Ballpark in Arlington 1994‑2004

The Globe (nickname)

The Temple (nickname)

Teams

Rangers (MLB) 1994-2019

F i l t e r & S o r t

Stadium Details

Name The Ballpark in Arlington

Style Open Air Stadium
Retro-Classic Architecture

Capacity 48,114

Surface Grass

Outfield 332-390-400-381-325

Location 1000 Ballpark Way
Arlington, TX 76011

Architects David M. Schwarz
HKS Inc.

Owner City of Arlington

Links

Find stadium collectibles on eBay

Known As

Globe Life Park in Arlington 2014‑2021

Rangers Ballpark in Arlington 2007‑2013

Ameriquest Field in Arlington 2005‑2006

The Ballpark in Arlington 1994‑2004

The Globe (nickname)

The Temple (nickname)

Teams

Rangers (MLB) 1994-2019