With 2019 coming to an end, greater Arlington has a lot to celebrate. This decade has been marked by monumental events that are driving economic development in greater Arlington and creating community prosperity. We invite you to look back on our accomplishments and look forward to what the future holds. Please note that these achievements are in chronological order.
#1 Entertainment District’s $810 Million Development Project
December 17, 2019, Arlington’s City Council unanimously approved the next phase for Arlington’s Entertainment District. This transformative development project includes a new 888 room Lowes Hotel with 1,900 parking spaces, convention center, corporate office headquarters, mixed-use residential building, small business coworking and incubator space and more retail and dining options.
The expansion of the Entertainment District will continue to strengthen tourism in Arlington while generating revenue for the community. Greater Arlington will benefit substantially from the Entertainment Complex’s newest project, with 3,000+ new jobs and an economic impact 0f $1.8 billion.
#2 Arlington Named Future Home of the National Medal of Honor Museum
During October 2019, the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation Board of Directors selected Arlington, Texas to be the future of America’s newest national treasure. After a year-long search, they determined Arlington was the perfect location to celebrate the stories and sacrifices of the 3,500+ Medal of Honor recipients.
“All of us at the Museum were simply overwhelmed with the enthusiasm, warmth and level of commitment of those involved who have worked beyond expectation to have the Museum come to Texas,” said Joe Daniels, the foundation’s President & CEO. “Seventy recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor have lived in the region, and nearly 1.8 million veterans and active-duty military currently call Texas home.” The Museum will be built in Arlington’s growing entertainment district.
# 3 Live! by Lowes
In September 2019, Live! by Loews became the first luxury hotel to join the Entertainment District. “The City of Arlington has been able to see firsthand what’s it’s like to partner with the innovative Tisch family to take our tourism options to the next level,” said Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams. “With the addition of the Live! by Loews luxury hotel to our world-class Entertainment District, Arlington is one of the most iconic sports and entertainment destinations in the country and guests will experience hospitality at the highest level.”
#4 Major Distribution Centers in 2019
In 2019, 2.5+ million square feet of distribution center space opened in Arlington. The openings of the UPS Distribution Center, the Rent the Runway Distribution Center and the FedEx Distribution Center created 2,200 jobs. Thanks to Rent the Runway, Arlington is home to the country’s largest dry cleaner and distribution center with 500 new jobs.
#5 Globe Life Park Becomes New Home of the XFL Dallas Renegades
In 2018, the XFL Dallas Renegades announced that the new team will play in Arlington. The Renegades are the fourth professional sports franchise in Arlington. The team, led by Bob Stoops, will play in Globe Life Park. Thanks to the Dallas Renegades, North Texas is one of only eight locations home to the XFL franchise.
#6 Texas Live!
In 2018, Texas Live! opened its doors in Arlington’s Entertainment District. Texas Live! is 200,000 square feet and features two stories of dining options and an outdoor pavilion to host events. The entertainment venue created 2,000 construction jobs and 1,025 permanent jobs. In just one year, Texas Live! has attracted more than 2.5 million visitors.
#7 Esports Stadium Arlington
In 2018, the country’s largest and most flexible esports stadium opened in Arlington. The conversion of Arlington’s convention center to a $10 million esports stadium is the most significant commitment to esports that a city has ever made. Esports Stadium Arlington seats 2,500 people and is 100,000 square feet. With a world-class stadium, catering and VIP lounges, Esports Stadium Arlington is a popular place to host large-scale events.
In November, Esports Stadium Arlington hosted the 2019 Esports Awards, the first time this awards ceremony has ever been held in the United States. This awards ceremony will bring tourism and an international spotlight on Arlington. At the State of the City Address, Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams explained how Esports Stadium Arlington is a part of the City’s innovation. He said, “we have positioned ourselves as both a national and international leader in the esports industry.”
#8 G.M. Invests $250 Million in Automotive Logistics Center
In 2017, General Motors put together a plan to create an automotive logistics center behind the Arlington assembly plant. The center uses suppliers in greater Arlington and is a part of General Motors’ investment of $1 billion in U.S. manufacturing. The logistics and supplier park brings 500 jobs to Arlington and cuts back on environmental impact.
#9 $1.4 Billion Expansion of GM Arlington Assembly Plant
In 2018, General Motors announced a $5 billion investment in U.S. production of new, full-size pickups and SUVs. As part of this investment, the GM Arlington Assembly plant is expanding 1.6 million-square-feet. The upgrade will support the production of the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban while bringing the GM Arlington Assembly plant’s floor plan to 5.75 million square feet.
#10 D.R Horton
In 2017, Fortune 500 company and America’s builder, D.R Horton moved its corporate headquarters to Arlington. D.R Horton chose Arlington because of its highly-skilled and diverse workforce. The company was also awarded a $5.5 million grant from the City, to improve infrastructure such as drainage and roadways at the 1-30 corridor site. The move brought 500 jobs to Arlington. Today, 1-30 corridor continues to develop.
#11 Summit Racing Equipment
In 2017, Summit Racing Superstore opened in Southeast Arlington. The retail store is 32,000 square-feet and filled with automotive gear and accessories. Summit Racing built its largest distribution center in the country to support the new retail space.
#12 Globe Life Field
In 2016, Arlington voters approved giving $500 million in tax revenue to build a new home for the Texas Rangers. The construction of Globe Life Field will be finished this spring. Globe Life Field is not just a baseball park; it will be an entertainment venue expected to host 300 events each year. Globe Life Field is bringing the 2020 MLB winter meetings to Arlington.
The Chamber is excited to welcome a new decade filled with possibility. Thanks to the exciting developments in the Entertainment District, in 2020, the amount of people that travel to Arlington each year is expected to rise from 14 million to 17 million.