Choctaw Stadium facts for kids
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Choctaw Stadium in 2020 (as Globe Life Park in Arlington)
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| Former names |
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| Address | 1000 Ballpark Way |
| Location | Arlington, Texas, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 32°45′5″N 97°4′58″W / 32.75139°N 97.08278°W |
| Public transit | Collins Street at Andrews Street |
| Owner | City of Arlington |
| Operator | Rangers Baseball Express |
| Executive suites | 120 |
| Capacity | 48,114 |
| Record attendance | 52,419 |
| Surface | Latitude36 Bermuda Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | April 2, 1992 |
| Opened | April 1, 1994 |
| Construction cost | $191 million ($377 million in 2022 ) |
| Architect |
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| Structural engineer |
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| Services engineer |
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| General contractor | Manhattan Construction Company |
| Tenants | |
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Choctaw Stadium, once known as Globe Life Park, is a large sports venue in Arlington, Texas. It's located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth. This stadium was first built for baseball. It was the home of the Texas Rangers baseball team from 1994 to 2019. The Rangers then moved to a new stadium called Globe Life Field.
Choctaw Stadium was built to replace an older stadium nearby, Arlington Stadium. It first opened in April 1994 as The Ballpark in Arlington. In 2020, the stadium was changed to host football and soccer games. Today, it is home to the Arlington Renegades football team, North Texas SC soccer team, and the Dallas Jackals rugby team. The world headquarters for Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is also located here. On August 25, 2021, Choctaw Casinos & Resorts bought the rights to name the stadium.
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History of Choctaw Stadium
In 1989, the Texas Rangers baseball team was sold to a group led by George W. Bush. Their old stadium, Arlington Stadium, was getting old. It didn't have the modern features that other baseball stadiums had. The Rangers felt they couldn't compete with bigger teams for good players.
To get money for a new stadium, the Rangers suggested they might leave Arlington. The city of Arlington then spent money to convince people to approve funding for a new ballpark. On January 19, 1991, most voters agreed to help pay for the new stadium. The city would cover about 71% of the cost, which was $135 million out of $191 million. This was done by raising the sales tax a little bit.
Construction on the new stadium, called The Ballpark in Arlington, started on April 2, 1992. It was built close to the old Arlington Stadium. The new ballpark opened on April 1, 1994, with a special game between the Rangers and the New York Mets. The first official game was on April 11 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Stadium Name Changes
The stadium's name changed a few times over the years.
- On May 7, 2004, a company called Ameriquest bought the naming rights. The stadium was renamed Ameriquest Field in Arlington.
- On March 19, 2007, the Rangers ended their deal with Ameriquest. The park was then renamed Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
- On February 5, 2014, Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company bought the naming rights. The stadium became Globe Life Park in Arlington.
- Finally, on August 25, 2021, Choctaw Casinos & Resorts bought the naming rights, and it became Choctaw Stadium.
The biggest crowd for a Rangers baseball game was on October 30, 2010. Over 52,000 fans watched Game 3 of the 2010 World Series against the San Francisco Giants.
Moving to a New Home
On May 20, 2016, the Rangers announced they would move to a new stadium, Globe Life Field, starting in 2020. The new stadium would have a roof that could open and close. Many people thought this would help because Texas summers are very hot. A retractable roof would make games more comfortable for fans. Voters in Arlington approved the new ballpark. The new stadium opened in 2020.
The new stadium was built south of Globe Life Park. The area between the two stadiums was turned into an entertainment complex called Texas Live! This area has sports bars, restaurants, and a hotel.
Changing from Baseball to Multi-Sport
Unlike the old Arlington Stadium, Choctaw Stadium was not torn down. City officials decided to change it for other sports. On December 5, 2018, it was announced that the stadium would become home to the Dallas Renegades football team in 2020. The North Texas SC soccer team also moved there.
To make space for a rectangular football and soccer field, many of the lower seats were removed. New seats were added where the baseball outfield used to be. On September 29, 2019, after the Rangers' last game, home plate was moved to the new stadium. The work to change the stadium for football and soccer began in October. In December 2019, Six Flags Entertainment Corp. moved its main office to the building in the stadium's center field.
Features of Choctaw Stadium
Stadium Design
The stadium was designed by architect David M. Schwarz. The Rangers wanted a "retro-style" ballpark. This means it looked like older, classic baseball stadiums. For example, the roofed area in right field looks like Tiger Stadium. The white steel around the upper deck is like the old Yankee Stadium. The scoreboard in left field was a nod to Fenway Park. The unique parts of the outfield fence reminded people of Ebbets Field. The arched windows look like Comiskey Park.
But the stadium also has its own unique features. You can see traditional Texas-style stone carvings. A four-story office building stands in center field. The home plate, foul poles, and bleachers from the old Arlington Stadium were moved here. The stadium's outside walls are made of brick and Texas Sunset Red granite.
Some seats in the stadium had blocked views. Also, the upper deck was very high up, making the view from some sections difficult. Before the 2012 season, the visiting team's bullpen was changed. This was done to make it cooler during hot games.
Greene's Hill
Greene's Hill is a grassy slope beyond the old center field fence. It helped hitters see the baseball better. It was named after former Arlington mayor Richard Greene in 1997. Fans were allowed to go onto the hill to try and catch a home run ball.
Seating Capacity
When it was a baseball stadium, the seating capacity changed slightly over the years.
- 1994–1995: 49,292 seats
- 1996: 49,178 seats
- 1997–1999: 49,166 seats
- 2000–2005: 49,115 seats
- 2006–2008: 48,911 seats
- 2009–2011: 49,170 seats
- 2012: 48,194 seats
- 2013–present: 48,114 seats
The stadium also has 5,704 special club seats and 126 luxury suites.
Field Dimensions
When it was a baseball park, Choctaw Stadium was known for being "hitter-friendly." This meant it was easier for batters to hit home runs. This was due to the hot weather, shorter fences, and winds that could lift balls. The office building in center field and the field being lower than street level actually kept even more home runs from happening.
Many Rangers players hit a lot of home runs here. Some players like Ian Kinsler, Adrián Beltré, and Josh Hamilton had many seasons with over 30 home runs. The longest home run recorded was 505 feet by Nomar Mazara on June 21, 2019.
Baseball Field Distances
- Left Field: 332 feet
- Left Center Field: 390 feet
- Center Field: 400 feet
- Right Center Field: 377 feet
- Right Field: 325 feet
Why No Retractable Roof?
Even though it was a great stadium, people started to think it needed a dome or a roof that could open. This was because of the very hot Texas summers. Temperatures on the field could go over 110°F (43°C). Many believed the heat made it hard to attract good players, especially pitchers.
When the stadium was built in the early 1990s, not many baseball stadiums had retractable roofs. Only Toronto's SkyDome had one. Other stadiums with retractable roofs were built later.
Stadium Renovations
On December 3, 2010, the Rangers announced big changes for the 2011 season. These included:
- New HD video screens in right and center field.
- The scoreboard in left field was updated with HD technology.
- The sound system was completely redone.
- A new system to show videos, scores, and other information.
- A TV system to show live channels anywhere in the stadium.
More big changes were announced on December 5, 2018, for when the Renegades football team moved in. The stadium was changed from a baseball field to a football and soccer field. About 6,000 souvenir seats were sold to fans. New broadcast booths and locker rooms were built for the football teams. The Rangers' old clubhouse became the Renegades' locker room.
Notable Events at Choctaw Stadium
Major League Baseball (MLB) Events
The Ballpark In Arlington was the site of one perfect game. A perfect game is when a pitcher doesn't let any opposing batters reach base. Kenny Rogers achieved this on July 28, 1994, against the California Angels.
The stadium hosted the 1995 MLB All-Star Game. The first official interleague game (where teams from different leagues play each other) was held here on June 12, 1997. The Rangers played the San Francisco Giants.
On September 18, 1999, Jim Morris made his first major league appearance at age 35. This was ten years after he had stopped playing baseball due to arm injuries.
The Rangers won their first postseason game here on October 16, 2010, against the Yankees. Six days later, the Rangers won their first ever American League pennant here. This meant they would play in the World Series.
Two World Series have been played in The Ballpark In Arlington.
- In 2010, the Rangers hosted games 3, 4, and 5 of the 2010 World Series. The San Francisco Giants won the series.
- In 2011, games 3, 4, and 5 of the 2011 World Series were also played here. The Rangers won two of those games but lost the series to the Cardinals.
College Baseball
The stadium hosted the 2002 and 2004 Big 12 Conference baseball tournament. Since 2013, the UT Arlington baseball team plays one game here each March.
Non-Baseball Events
Concerts
Many famous artists have performed concerts at the stadium. These include Paul McCartney, Jason Aldean, and Billy Joel.
Football
The Dallas Renegades football team played three games here in 2020 before their league stopped playing. The Renegades will continue to play in the stadium starting in 2023. The stadium also hosts the annual Arlington Showdown college football game. High school football games are also played here.
Rugby Union
The stadium has been the home of the Dallas Jackals rugby team since 2022.
Soccer
The first professional soccer match at Choctaw Stadium was on July 23, 2019. It was between Atletico de Madrid and Chivas de Guadalajara. The North Texas SC soccer team moved to Choctaw Stadium in 2020.
Other Events
The stadium hosted the Dallas/Fort Worth MDA Muscle Walk event in 2014. On June 17, 2019, a tornado touched down near the stadium. It caused some damage to the left field area.
See also
In Spanish: Estadio Choctaw para niños
- Texas Rangers Hall of Fame
