Arlington’s Entertainment District continues to redefine its role as a world-class destination, attracting 15.6 million visitors in 2023 who contributed $2.8 billion in spending, according to new data released by the city’s Convention & Visitors Bureau. The district’s walkable design and expanding attractions, including Texas Live!, Live! by Loews, and the soon-to-open National Medal of Honor Museum, have positioned Arlington as a hub for tourism and economic growth in North Texas.

But wait—there’s more. Some of the district’s biggest-ever events are on the way, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, featuring nine world-watched matches at AT&T Stadium, and the INDYCAR Grand Prix of Arlington, which roars through the district next year. 

AT&T Stadium will host nine 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, including a globally watched semi-final. That’s more than any of the other 15 host venues in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. [Image: blightylad-infocus/iStock]

Here’s a look at how the Arlington Entertainment District became a must-visit center of sports, culture, and entertainment. According to tech-focused design firm mma, a winning mix of vision and collaboration has set it on its way to becoming “a global destination.”

‘Setting the table’

Aerial view of the Arlington Entertainment District [Photo: mma]

As Arlington Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Marty Wieder sees it, the district’s transformation reflects years of strategic planning to “set the table” for quality development serving both residents and visitors.  

“The guidelines put in place years ago continue to provide a development structure to ensure what’s built is walkable and beneficial to all who are here in the district now,” Wieder said.

Wieder highlighted the district’s upcoming projects, including the architecturally striking luxury apartment development One Rangers Way, the National Medal of Honor Museum, and expansions by Loews, as signs of its continued evolution.

Rendering of One Rangers Way [Image: The Cordish Companies]

“It’s a good sign that Loews has plans to add more hotel units—above and beyond what’s already here with Live! by Loews and the new Loews Arlington Hotel & Convention Center,” he said.

Future developments such as Anthem, a mixed-use “gateway to Arlington” gathering place aimed at young professionals, are set to enhance the district’s appeal even further.

To understand how these developments came together, Dallas Innovates spoke with mma, a technology-focused design firm that played a key role in orchestrating the district’s “diverse architectural visions into a cohesive urban masterpiece.”

Engineering the future with multiple partners

Drone footage of Globe Life Field’s construction. [Photo: mma]

As the civil engineer of record, mma tackled the formidable task of transforming Arlington’s Entertainment District—partnering with local stakeholders and uniting multiple architectural visions into a “walkable destination” that now defines the city’s skyline.

CEO Rob Cronin calls it a “challenging yet pivotal project that promises significant economic and cultural growth for the area.” Understanding the high expectations for the project, mma collaborated with a design team, the Texas Rangers, Loews Hotels, The Cordish Company, HKS, SBL Architects, HCM, SWA, and others to design a district that embodies innovation and community pride.

According to mma, the district had previously zoned for a development called Glory Park, which never materialized. The challenge for the future vision was to ensure “how it would fit within the zoning in place and how the public infrastructure which had previously been installed could be utilized to reduce cost impacts,” the firm said.

From adapting utility systems to accommodate projects like Texas Live! and Globe Life Field to redesigning plans for walking trails and public plazas, mma’s expertise was pivotal in creating the walkable, accessible district seen today.

Creating a year-round destination

A scene from the grand opening of Texas Live! [Photo: mma]

In 2015, before the redevelopment began, the Arlington Entertainment District was home to leading recreational and tourism amenities including Globe Life Park (now Choctaw Stadium), AT&T Stadium, Six Flags Over Texas, and Hurricane Harbor. These attracted visitors and money to the city during peak times of the year. 

What was lacking? A non-stop tourist draw outside of peak events. During non-peak times, the area around Globe Life Park and AT&T Stadium was dormant, vacant, and devoid of tourists and visitors alike.

To leverage those assets year-round, the city of Arlington sought to expand the availability of city-owned convention facilities within the Entertainment District. The city had a policy in place contained in its 2014 Economic Development Strategic Plan to leverage district assets and encourage continued development in the district. It put that into practice via a public-private partnership with the Texas Rangers, the city of Arlington, and the Cordish Companies. The initial developments, by the Cordish Companies, were to be Texas Live! and the Live! by Loews Hotel.

Going ‘live’ in a big way

The grand opening of Texas Live! in 2018. [Photo: mma]

The first major addition to the district was Texas Live!, a $250 million hospitality district spanning 170,000 square feet. Dedicated to dining, entertainment, and events. it was a collaboration between the Texas Rangers, The Cordish Company, and the city of Arlington. Completed in 2018, Texas Live!  now hosts sports, concerts, culinary events, themed celebrations, and private functions.

Live! by Loews Hotel and Convention Center was completed in 2019. Five years later, the Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center, at left, joined it as a key part of the district’s skyline. [Photo: mma]

Live! by Loews Hotel and Convention Center was completed in 2019. Looming at the heart of the district, the attraction features more than 300 rooms, 35,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, and an outdoor event space that can accommodate up to 4,000 guests. In 2020, The Loop, featuring pedestrian trails, open spaces, and a show fountain, was added to the hotel surroundings.

Globe Life Field [Photo: mma]

One of the district’s most prominent developments is Globe Life Field, a 40,000 seat, multi-purpose stadium with a retractable roof that’s been the home of the Texas Rangers since 2020. Globe Life Field also hosts concerts, college football, rodeos, and was the venue for the 2024 MLB All-Star Game. More importantly for local baseball fans, it was also the Texas Rangers’ home turf during the 2023 World Series, which the team won for the first time in its entire 63-year history.

Tbe Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center [Photo: PR Newswire]

Arlington’s largest hotel, the Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center, opened in 2024 with its signature angular, cantilevered design, shown above. The “first-of-its-kind” meetings and resort destination is situated between two iconic sports stadiums. Connected to the Live! by Loews Hotel and the new Arlington Convention Center, it features 888 rooms, 40,000+ square feet of meeting space, five restaurants and lounges, a resort-style beach club, and a spa and fitness center.

The obstacles: Cowboys games, flood mitigation, and more

Globe Life Field was built while the Texas Rangers played next door in Globe Life Park. [Photo: mma]

Turning an area with nationally prized attractions into a full-blown Entertainment District took some doing. Among the challenges, mma cited mitigating flood hazard areas, creating massive utility infrastructure, and maintaining the operation of existing venues while all the construction rolled on.

With AT&T Stadium and the Rangers’ former ballpark running full schedules, mma said it had to implement “meticulous planning” to minimize disruptions. To achieve that, mma studied past initiatives that either faltered after starting or never came to fruition. The firm adopted “a comprehensive approach to navigate around potential obstacles,” paving the way for the successful launch and sustained growth of the new district.

“The Arlington Entertainment District project represents mma’s dedication to excellence, quality and innovation,” mma President Jacob Sumpter said in a statement. “Blending functionality with artistic vision, we’ve enriched the community and redefined what’s possible in urban development.” 

Coming soon: hotels galore

With a lot of new attractions now open—and nationally significant ones on the way, like the Medal of Honor Museum—more key pieces of the district are still to come. That includes everything from parking venues to even more hotels for overnight guests.

A new 735-space parking garage is under construction near the Sheraton Arlington Hotel, to support the National Medal of Honor Museum, Esports Stadium Arlington, the Arlington Museum of Art, and a new $410 million hotel.

That 513-room hotel, Loews’ third hospitality development in Arlington, is slated to open in 2028. It will replace the 311-room Sheraton, which is expected to be razed after the 2026 World Cup. In addition, a new 145-room upscale boutique hotel will replace Arlington’s old Caravan motel.

Rendering of the IndyCar Grand Prix of Arlington, which will roar through the city’s entertainment district in March 2026. [Image: NTT IndyCar Series]

But making the most noise of all will undoubtably be the INDYCAR Grand Prix of Arlington, a first-of-its-kind joint venture between Penske Entertainment, the Dallas Cowboys, and REV Entertainment. The 2.73-mile street circuit will zoom through the district around AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field, with the initial race set for March 2026.

We’d say prepare to “start your engines,” but the engine powering the Arlington Entertainment District has been roaring for years, one attraction after the next. And it’s been happening since 1961, as this timeline shows:

Timeline: The Arlington Entertainment District

Here’s a look way, way back at how the Arlington Entertainment District came to be, from its earliest days as a family destination that’s kept kids—and their parents—coming back for generations. 

Michael Jacobson, president and CEO of the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, has said that the arrival of Six Flags, Turnpike Stadium, and the Texas Rangers in the 1960s and ’70s  was instrumental in Arlington’s evolution into an entertainment and sports capital. But “the groundwork was laid” in the 1950s through the vision of former Mayor Tom Vandergriff. 

These are the key milestones that shaped Arlington’s rise as a premier entertainment destination, according to the city’s Economic Development Corporation:

The Astrolift at Six Flags Over Texas, circa 1961. [Photo: Six Flags Over Texas]

1961 – Six Flags Over Texas

• The first Six Flags amusement park opens as the “Thrill Capital of Texas” on 212 acres with a $10 million initial investment.

1965 – Turnpike Stadium

• Built for $1.9 million, it was later renamed Arlington Stadium in 1972 before its demolition in 1994.

1972 Topps Texas Rangers team card [Image: Topps]

1972 – Arrival of the Texas Rangers and Seven Seas Aquatic Park

• The Washington Senators relocate to Arlington, debuting as the Texas Rangers.
• The Rangers’ inaugural game is held in 1972.
• The Seven Seas Aquatic Park opens on 35 acres but closes in 1976.

1983 – Wet ‘n Wild (later Hurricane Harbor)

• Wet ‘n Wild opens and is purchased by Six Flags in 1995. It’s renamed Hurricane Harbor in 1997.

Players at the July 2022 XFL Showcase at Arlington’s Choctaw Stadium, which opened in 1994 as The Ballpark in Arlington and was later named Globe Life Park. [Photo: Rick Yeatts/XFL]

1994 – The Ballpark in Arlington

• A state-of-the-art baseball stadium opens with a 48,114 capacity and a $191 million investment.
• Over the years, it undergoes several rebrandings, becoming Choctaw Stadium in 2021, with redevelopments into multi-use spaces.
• Home to the UFL and the Arlington Renegades

AT&T Stadium [Photo: AT&T]

2009 – Cowboys Stadium/AT&T Stadium

• The $1.3 billion stadium becomes home to the Dallas Cowboys, accommodating up to 105,000 spectators. It is renamed AT&T Stadium in 2013.

2010 – International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame

• Relocating from St. Louis, the unique 18,000-square-foot museum covers the 5,000 year history of bowling worldwide and is home to the International Bowling Hall of Fame.

Esports Stadium Arlington. [Photo: Twitter/Esports Stadium Arlington]

2018 – Texas Live! & Esports Stadium Arlington

• Texas Live! opens as a $250 million, 200,000 sq. ft. entertainment hub.
• Esports Stadium Arlington debuts as the largest gaming facility in the U.S., with a $10 million investment.

Live! by Lowes had its grand opening in 2019. [Photo: mma]

2019 – Live! by Loews and National Medal of Honor Museum

• A 300-room luxury hotel opens, offering world-class amenities for $150 million.
• Arlington is selected as the site for the National Medal of Honor Museum, with its opening slated for 2025.

Globe Life Field [Photo: mma]

2020 – Globe Life Field

• A $1.1 billion stadium becomes the new home for the Texas Rangers, who win the 2023 World Series.

One Rangers Way will be located in the heart of the Arlington Entertainment District close to three iconic stadiums. [Rendering: The Cordish Companies]

2024-2025 – Future Developments

• Loews Arlington Hotel & Convention Center opens as a $550 million luxury resort with North Texas’ largest ballroom.
• One Rangers Way, a $70 million upscale apartment community, is scheduled for completion in early 2025.

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