I can't speak absolutely on it since i'm not an Arlington resident, but I find it very hard to believe that if Cowboys Stadium and Rangers Ballpark decided to move out of the city that it would be a net positive.

That's not to say there aren't a lot of negatives, but I think there's certainly a lot of impact the common resident doesn't see, or else why would the city officials be swinging big deals like this rather than saying "see ya later"?

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I'd say many of those residents negatively impacted Arlington.

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WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the net positive is for the owners of said stadiums. The bulk of the people that visit the stadiums dont live in arlington. Which on the surface sounds great, more outside dollars being spent in the city. THe problem is most of that money isnt really spent around the city of arlington, it spent at the stadium. Most people dont come to arlington for the day spending money elsewhere. They come just for a game and then try to get out as soon as possible. That doesnt result in huge windfall for local businesses. In fact, its hurt quite a few of them. From the opening of the first ball park, lincoln square has slowly gone downhill in terms of use. That is more due to the entertainment center shifting towards 20. The cowboys were supposed to fix all of that. Since they have opened the new stadium, business have left the area. Most of the local places directly opposite the stadium had to close up shop due to property tax increases and a loss of customer base. Even larger national chains like Best Buy and Barnes & Noble has closed up shop. True if they were to pull the stadiums out and leave them like they did irving it would hurt the area even more if the land went unused. But that still should justify loaning a crapload of money to a bunch of rich guys who could afford to finance their new project themselves.

I also think its a bluff to move the team to dallas. A downtown ballpark would be pretty awful for the rangers. The team has even said the bulk of their fans and visitors to the park reside in tarrant county. A downtown park would be a nightmare to get to, even worse than what it is now. I will give the Rangers credit that they arent going to have to steal anyone's property to get it done so that puts them a step above Jerry.

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The last two stadiums have been great deals for Arlington and were paid off early with excess funds.

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I disagree. The cowboys stadium was great for Jerry jones but negatively impacted residents.

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I'd say many of those residents negatively impacted Arlington.

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I'd say you can kindly go **** yourself

I've not seen that Lincoln Square gets less use.

The Barnes and Noble up there along I-30 closed up shop a long while ago and that had nothing to do with the Ballpark and certainly not Cowboys Stadium and everything to do with what's been closing bookstores all over the country.

Best Buy...much more recent but same story.

I don't think the promise of the stadiums was ever that fans would flock to Arlington and start buying books and electronics.

It's a lot easier for me to get around that part of town now and I and the other nearby families and residents have more restaurant and bar choices.

I want more and I think that's slowly coming due to the Cowboys Stadium and it sounds like the Rangers are finally getting their plans together for what we've thought was coming since 1994.

Most importantly, a lot of Arlington residents work up at those stadiums and at the new hotels and restaurants.

I'm on the fence about this a little bit but I can't say I've not seen benefits.

Good info, like I said I'm not a resident so I can't speak with absolutes on the subject... but if the idea is that people aren't spending their entertainment dollar around the stadium, isn't that because entertainment options haven't been developed around the stadium?

I'd love to go have a beer before and after a game at the ballpark... Except there's no place to go that doesn't involve me getting in my car and driving somewhere.

And if the positive is only for the owners of the stadiums, then why is your city signing off on it?

I mean... if elected officials are spending hundreds of millions of dollars (again) on a stadium that isn't good for the city, then how are they still elected officials?

I find it hard to believe Arlington is spending $500m of their own money just to help some rich owners out or for bragging rights (which don't really even exist -- national telecasts reference the Rangers being in Dallas half the time and the NCAA Tournament got the prestigious label of "North Texas").

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Here is what I don't get, if the taxpayers are paying 1/2 the cost, where is their disbursement check for half the audited profits the stadium and field generate?

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I imagine the idea is the value of their property goes up.

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Here is what I don't get, if the taxpayers are paying 1/2 the cost, where is their disbursement check for half the audited profits the stadium and field generate?

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I imagine the idea is the value of their property goes up.

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If you want property values to go up, there are way cheaper and more effective ways of doing it.

Invest in schools and then pay for a Starbucks to go into a renovation location. I guarantee the bang for the buck is greater!

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Here is what I don't get, if the taxpayers are paying 1/2 the cost, where is their disbursement check for half the audited profits the stadium and field generate?

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I imagine the idea is the value of their property goes up.

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If you want property values to go up, there are way cheaper and more effective ways of doing it.

Invest in schools and then pay for a Starbucks to go into a renovation location. I guarantee the bang for the buck is greater!

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No one is saying funding a billion dollar stadium is the best way to make property values go up.

But city officials have now funded two enormous stadiums in the last decade, so I have to assume if it was such a poor financial investment for the city that they wouldn't have done so. You don't spend $500m just so you can point your finger and laugh at Dallas -- especially when most everyone assumes the team plays in Dallas anyways.

Maybe they are total schmucks, but I doubt it.

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The Barnes and Noble up there closed up shop a long while ago and that had nothing to do with the Ballpark and certainly not Cowboys Stadium and everything to do with what's been closing bookstores all over the country.

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For bookstores not named Barnes & Noble id agree. But they are the biggest player in the industry and not hurting at all. I wont get too much into it, but that store wasnt closed because of any national trend.

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It's a lot easier for me to get around that part of town now and I and the other nearby families and residents have more restaurant and bar choices.

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man im not sure where you live but I feel the exact opposite. I avoid that part of town at all costs when a game is on because they traffic sucks.

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I want more and I think that's slowly coming due to the Cowboys Stadium and it sounds like the Rangers are finally getting their plans together for what we've thought was coming since 1994.

Most importantly, a lot of Arlington residents work up at those stadiums and at the new hotels and restaurants.

I'm on the fence about this a little bit but I can't say I've not seen benefits.

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Agree that the opportunity for work has increased but its not full time and mostly temp work. Im not saying there hasnt been any benefits to some residents. But its nothing like what was promised or projected. Overall I dont think the residents should be fronting money to some billionaires to build a new stadium

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And if the positive is only for the owners of the stadiums, then why is your city signing off on it?

I mean... if elected officials are spending hundreds of millions of dollars (again) on a stadium that isn't good for the city, then how are they still elected officials?

I find it hard to believe Arlington is spending $500m of their own money just to help some rich owners out or for bragging rights (which don't really even exist -- national telecasts reference the Rangers being in Dallas half the time and the NCAA Tournament got the prestigious label of "North Texas").

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Don't underestimate the "value" these elected officials see. Hobknobbing with the elite of the elite and having pictures taken with all star athletes is a very seductive chit to be cashed in later.

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Good info, like I said I'm not a resident so I can't speak with absolutes on the subject... but if the idea is that people aren't spending their entertainment dollar around the stadium, isn't that because entertainment options haven't been developed around the stadium?

I'd love to go have a beer before and after a game at the ballpark... Except there's no place to go that doesn't involve me getting in my car and driving somewhere.

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Like I said above, I would disagree some with nail06. I haven't kept tabs on every local restaurant and whether it is still there or not, but I feel like I've got more choice now than when we started. Especially due to the football stadium and the big out of town crowds it brings.

I know downtown Arlington which isn't that far away is starting to grow with some nice dining options and I'm sure that's partially due to the stadiums.

I do think you're right in that with better options near the stadium, it would be good. That just takes some planning and we all know the saga of the past decade trying to get that to happen.

It sounds like they're finally making positive moves and that is good.

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You don't spend $500m just so you can point your finger and laugh at Dallas -- especially when most everyone assumes the team plays in Dallas anyways.

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I dont believe you had the pleasure of meeting our former mayor

I wouldn't drive right by the stadiums the same way I avoid other places in Arlington at certain days.

But the other 250 days of the year, it's nice.

I don't know the specifics about Barnes and Noble but I just know they've closed stores all over the country and that store was hardly hopping back in the day.

Many retail places in that area have struggled for decades because the Parks Mall just has done it better.

I'm bummed I have to go down there for B&N but it's not so bad.

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You don't spend $500m just so you can point your finger and laugh at Dallas -- especially when most everyone assumes the team plays in Dallas anyways.

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I dont believe you had the pleasure of meeting our former mayor

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Wait, so DA94 REALLY WAS the mayor? I was just making a joke 1 page ago!

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You don't spend $500m just so you can point your finger and laugh at Dallas -- especially when most everyone assumes the team plays in Dallas anyways.

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I dont believe you had the pleasure of meeting our former mayor

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This is at least the third Arlington mayor to make this decision.

Barnes and Nobles closings happen all over. They had a beautiful store in downtown Fort Worth that closed a year or so ago. Ditto the one on University Drive near 30... and that is with Fort Worth growing.

The local voters have felt the benefit or lack thereof. The local voters will decide on this one, as they have in the previous fundings. That is as it should be. We can all blow hot air as to what we think the real benefit is, but the beauty is the locals will decide.

As a former resident of Arlington literally 5 minutes or less from the Stadium, I think Some of you are intentionally choosing to forget about the majority of the neighborhoods that surround that area. To the South across the railroad tracks takes you to Little Mexico. That area isn't getting redeveloped without completely buying out the area. To the north across 30 is neighborhoods with original owners still occupying the homes from the early 80's and not so good apartment complexes. Collins street is semi ok but the further south you go on it, it turns right back in to little mexico. I'm not sure how much this area could be redeveloped without an enormous amount of money being dumped into it...they would have to buy out entire neighborhoods and bulldoze them.

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The local voters have felt the benefit or lack thereof. The local voters will decide on this one, as they have in the previous fundings. That is as it should be. We can all blow hot air as to what we think the real benefit is, but the beauty is the locals will decide.

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Has anyone said anything different with respect to this?

Btw, on a net basis, Barnes has reduced it's store count by 20% in the last 8 years. The rate is slowing lately, but they've been closing stores every year since 2000.

Did I say someone didn't? It was a comment. No need to be a ****.

That said, it was a comment based on a fact vs an opinion.

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Did I say someone didn't? It was a comment. No need to be a ****.

That said, it was a comment based on a fact vs an opinion.

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Chill man. I wasn't being a ****. I was asking if you perceived someone doing that.

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Here is what I don't get, if the taxpayers are paying 1/2 the cost, where is their disbursement check for half the audited profits the stadium and field generate?

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I imagine the idea is the value of their property goes up.

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If you want property values to go up, there are way cheaper and more effective ways of doing it.

Invest in schools and then pay for a Starbucks to go into a renovation location. I guarantee the bang for the buck is greater!

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Some of the residents lost also increase property values. Especially since many were leasing low income multi-family units.

It is what it is.

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As a former resident of Arlington literally 5 minutes or less from the Stadium, I think Some of you are intentionally chosing to forget about the majority of the neighborhoods that surround that area. To the South across the railroad tracks takes you to Little Mexico. That area isn't getting redeveloped without completely buying out the area. To the north across 30 is neighborhoods with original owners still occupying the homes from the early 80's and not so good apartment complexes. Collins street is semi ok but the further south you go on it, it turns right back in to little mexico. I'm not sure how much this area could be redeveloped without an enormous amount of money being dumped into it...they would have to buy out entire neighborhoods and bulldoze them.

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This goes along with my point that Arlington gained value in getting many of those residents out.

Nm

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So long jet stream

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Been gone for a while now.

I thought it said the $500 taxpayer cost isn't on Arlington resident tax payers? It is on hotel and other tourist taxes.

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I thought it said the $500 taxpayer cost isn't on Arlington resident tax payers? It is on hotel and other tourist taxes.

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some folk don't read

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I thought it said the $500 taxpayer cost isn't on Arlington resident tax payers? It is on hotel and other tourist taxes.

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some folk don't read

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Indeed they don't. Because if they did they would know that the money will be fronted by the city and then repaid through a half cent sales tax, 2 percent hotel tax, and 5 percent car rental tax. The majority of the tax burden will fall to residents of arlington via the car rental and sales tax increase. Of course the Texas Live! hotel that is being built adjacent to the new park will be exempt from the sales, beverage, and hotel tax for the 30 years.