ARLINGTON, TEXAS — The Arlington City Council has approved an $810 million expansion of the city’s Entertainment District. The project is a continuation of the public-private partnership between the city, the Texas Rangers baseball team, Loews Hotels & Co. and The Cordish Cos.
At the forefront of the expansion is a $550 million, 888-room Loews hotel with 1,500 parking spaces. The hotel will be connected to the new Arlington Convention Center, which will offer 216,000 square feet of meeting and outdoor space.
Other components of the project include a 280-unit apartment building with 100,000 square feet of retail, entertainment and coworking space operated by Spark; a 200,000-square-foot office building; and a new public garage with 1,900 parking spaces.
The expansion is the next phase of a greater $4 billion vision by the development partners that began with the $250 million Texas Live! entertainment center, which opened in August 2018, and Live! By Loews Hotel, which opened in August 2019. Paired with the Rangers’ new Globe Life Field set to open in March 2020, the total investment of new development by the partnership totals more than $2.25 billion.
“As an owner and operator, Loews Hotels has the advantage of deciding when and where we build hotels,” says Jonathan Tisch, chairman & CEO of Loews Hotels. “For us to invest significant capital in the new $550 million Loews Arlington Hotel demonstrates our belief in the city.”
Construction is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2020.
The Texas Rangers will celebrate its 49th season in Arlington in 2020. Globe Life Field will feature a retractable roof for climate control and shelter for fans during summer months.
Headquartered in New York City, Loews Hotels owns or operates 27 hotels and resorts across the United States and Canada.
Baltimore-based Cordish has developed a number of entertainment destinations, including projects in Atlanta, Kansas City, Philadelphia and St. Louis.
— Kristin Hiller