Choctaw Stadium facts for kids
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Choctaw Stadium in 2020 (as Globe Life Park in Arlington)
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 Choctaw Stadium
Location in Texas
Choctaw Stadium
Location in the United States
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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 (baseball) 25,000 (football) |
| 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 ) |
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| Structural engineer |
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| Services engineer |
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| General contractor | Manhattan Construction Company |
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Choctaw Stadium, once known as Globe Life Park, is a large stadium in Arlington, Texas, USA. It opened in April 1994 as a baseball stadium called The Ballpark in Arlington. It was the home of the Texas Rangers baseball team from 1994 to 2019.
This stadium replaced the older Arlington Stadium. Later, the Rangers moved to a new stadium nearby called Globe Life Field. In 2020, Choctaw Stadium was changed to host football and soccer games. Today, it is home to the North Texas SC soccer team and the Arlington Renegades football team. On August 25, 2021, Choctaw Casinos & Resorts bought the rights to name the stadium.
Contents
Stadium History: From Baseball to Multi-Sport
In 1989, George W. Bush led a group that bought the Texas Rangers baseball team. Their old stadium, Arlington Stadium, was getting old and didn't have modern features. The team wanted a new stadium to attract better players.
Building a New Home for the Rangers
To help pay for the new stadium, the Rangers asked the city of Arlington for public money. The city held a vote, and in January 1991, over 65% of voters agreed to help pay for the stadium. This meant the city would cover about 71% of the $191 million cost. The city raised sales tax slightly to fund the project.
Construction on the new stadium, first called The Ballpark in Arlington, began on April 2, 1992. It was built close to the old Arlington Stadium. The new ballpark opened on April 1, 1994, with a practice game between the Rangers and the New York Mets. The first official game was on April 11 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Changing Names of the Ballpark
Over the years, the stadium had a few different names:
- In 2004, it became Ameriquest Field in Arlington.
- In 2007, it was renamed Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
- In 2014, it became Globe Life Park in Arlington.
- In 2021, it was named Choctaw Stadium.
The biggest crowd for a Rangers baseball game was 52,419 fans. This happened on October 30, 2010, during Game 3 of the 2010 World Series.
Moving to a New Stadium and Repurposing the Old One
On May 20, 2016, the Rangers announced they would move to a new stadium, Globe Life Field, starting in 2020. The new stadium has a retractable roof and air conditioning. This was important because of the hot Texas summers. Arlington residents voted to approve the new ballpark, with 60% voting yes.
The new Globe Life Field was built south of Globe Life Park. The area between the two stadiums became an entertainment complex called Texas Live! It has restaurants, sports bars, and a hotel.
Unlike the old Arlington Stadium, Choctaw Stadium was not torn down. Instead, 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 (now the Arlington Renegades) and the North Texas SC soccer team.
To make it ready for football and soccer, many lower seats were removed. New seats were added where the outfield used to be. On September 29, 2019, after the Rangers' last home game, the home plate was moved to the new stadium. In December 2019, Six Flags Entertainment Corp. moved its main offices into the stadium's center field office building.
Stadium Design and Features
The stadium was designed by architect David M. Schwarz. It has a "retro-style" look, meaning it includes features from older, classic baseball parks.
Classic Baseball Park Inspirations
- A covered home run porch in right field looks like Tiger Stadium.
- The white steel trim around the upper deck is like the old Yankee Stadium.
- The scoreboard in the left-field wall was a nod to Fenway Park.
- The unique shapes in the outfield fence remind people of Ebbets Field.
- The arched windows are similar to Comiskey Park.
The stadium also has its own special touches. 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 walls are made of brick and Texas Sunset Red granite. Carvings show important moments from Texas and baseball history. The stadium has three main seating levels: lower, club, and upper deck. There are also luxury suites with glass doors.
Greene's Hill: A Unique Outfield Feature
Greene's Hill is a grassy slope beyond the center field fence. It helped batters see the baseball better by providing a clear background. It was named after former Arlington mayor Richard Greene. Fans were sometimes allowed to go onto the hill to try and catch a home run ball.
Seating Capacity
When it was a baseball park, Choctaw Stadium could hold 48,114 fans. After being changed for football, it now holds about 25,000 people for football games. It also has 120 luxury suites.
Field Dimensions for Baseball
As a baseball park, it was known for being a "hitter-friendly" stadium. This meant many home runs were hit there. This was partly because of the hot weather, shorter fences, and winds that could lift batted balls. The longest home run recorded was 505 feet by Nomar Mazara in 2019.
Why No Retractable Roof?
When the stadium was built in the early 1990s, not many baseball stadiums had retractable roofs. However, the intense Texas summer heat made many people wish it had one. A roof would have made games more comfortable for fans and players. Other modern stadiums built later, like Chase Field and Minute Maid Park, did include retractable roofs.
Stadium Renovations
In 2010, the stadium got new HD video screens and an updated sound system. In 2018, major changes began to turn it into a football and soccer venue. This included removing some lower seats to create a rectangular field. New locker rooms were also built for the teams.
Important Events at Choctaw Stadium
Major League Baseball Highlights
- Perfect Game: On July 28, 1994, Kenny Rogers pitched a perfect game here. This means no batter from the California Angels reached base.
- All-Star Game: The stadium hosted the 1995 MLB All-Star Game.
- First Interleague Game: The very first regular-season interleague game in MLB history was played here on June 12, 1997. The Rangers played the San Francisco Giants.
- Postseason Wins: The Rangers won their first ever American League pennant here on October 22, 2010, beating the New York Yankees.
- World Series: The stadium hosted games of the 2010 World Series and the 2011 World Series.
College Baseball
The stadium hosted the Big 12 Baseball Tournament in 2002 and 2004. The UT Arlington baseball team also plays one game here each year.
In Movies
Scenes from the Walt Disney Pictures movie The Rookie were filmed at the stadium. Actor Dennis Quaid, playing Jim Morris, ran onto the field during a real game.
Other Events at the Stadium
Concerts
Many famous musicians have performed here, including Paul McCartney and Billy Joel.
Football Games
The Arlington Renegades football team plays its home games here. In 2024, the stadium became a central hub for the merged UFL. It also hosts high school football games for the Arlington Independent School District.
Rugby Union
The Dallas Jackals rugby team played their home games here from 2022 until September 2024.
Soccer Matches
The International Champions Cup soccer match between Atlético Madrid and Chivas Guadalajara was played here in 2019. This was the first professional soccer match at the stadium. North Texas SC soccer team has played here since 2020.
Other Gatherings
The stadium hosted the Dallas/Fort Worth MDA Muscle Walk event in 2014.
Images for kids
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Park by the home plate entrance at Choctaw Stadium
See also
In Spanish: Estadio Choctaw para niños
