Arlington: Glorypark

[GuerillaBlack]

Because everything is better in Houston of course.

As for the NFL moving their headquarters, I have never heard of it, but I do know that Dallas seems to be where the MLB and NFL like to do all of their offseason meetings. Location I'm guessing, but why wouldn't they do it in Houston?

The NFL isn't moving their headquarters. What meetings are held in Dallas? I haven't heard of any.

[rantanamo]

As I said, I have heard nothing of the NFL moving their HQ. They may have stated that at some point. They aren't the press conference types like the NBA. You usually find out their news through articles and interviews or after meetings. Was there a Superbowl winning bid announcement from the NFL? Nope.

The NFL has quarterly "owners meetings". From studying articles, half seem to be in Dallas, no surprise they knew what hotels they would book. They seem to like Nashville and Washington as well. As I said before, they are not press release people, but usually you'll see it mentioned with some new rule or something. MLB seems to like Dallas for their winter meetings as well. I'm guessing these are very closed door sessions, which is why you see little mention of where and when this stuff is scheduled.

[jtk1519]

You hear stuff about the owner's meetings in the Metroplex all the time on ESPiN and stuff. The NFL holds those meetings in the Dallas area more than any other area.

[awill19]

North Texas can win big with Super Bowl teamwork
By Mitchell Schnurman
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Can the Super Bowl become our great uniter?

North Texas had to pull together to win the big game last week, and we'll have to work together to pull it off. It's simply too big for one city in this area to handle, even Dallas, and that's a blessing, because it forces us to think and act regionally -- an approach that plays up our strengths and shores up our weaknesses.

Hosting a Super Bowl generates tangible and intangible benefits, usually measured in tourist dollars and media exposure, respectively. The numbers are huge, which is why so many cities try to get into the Super Bowl rotation. We ought to be thinking even bigger, because this event could become a catalyst on many fronts.

Not all Super Bowls have such potential, but the opportunities are aligned for us.

Last week, the National Football League awarded the 2011 game to North Texas and the new Cowboys stadium being built in Arlington. Satisfying the NFL and putting on a great show has to be the top priority.

Next on the list should be creating a local legacy.

That's a grandiose goal for a sporting event, to be sure, but it's worth reaching for.

It's not unimaginable, for instance, that Super Bowl plans will lead to a breakthrough in mass transit. Or to a faster build-up of hotels, restaurants and infrastructure. Or to a more aggressive sports commission that chases mega-events.

And what if this process changes the way we think of ourselves and the way we operate? Take this idea beyond tourism, and it could become the kind of sea change that benefits the region long after the game is over.

Collaboration is the crucial concept here. We have to draw on the assets from all our cities and promote them as one, rather than having cities focused on what's best for them. If we can make that leap for a Super Bowl, we can translate the template to bid on research grants, to form consortiums for federal programs or to wield more clout in the Legislature.

It starts with redefining the brand. Forget about touting Dallas-Fort Worth -- the name is too limiting. More than eight in 10 residents in this region live somewhere other than those two cities. And to most people beyond the state line, "the Metroplex" sounds like an industrial tool.

North Texas is the right description, a brand name that encompasses the region's 6 million people, two dozen Fortune 500 companies and a fast-growth economy.

Think of Southern California, the Bay Area, the Research Triangle. They represent more than their biggest cities, and much of their progress came through collaborations in science, technology, tourism and other fields.

It's not just a marketing idea. North Texas is structured differently than Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Atlanta and other major metros. When one city is the 800-pound gorilla in a region, you can focus your assets there.

That makes it easier to take on big projects, at least from a central-planning perspective. Houston, for example, built three world-class sports venues early in the decade, all near downtown and connected by rail. That concentration helps attract tourist events, because people like to stay in one place and cover most of the ground easily.

We're spread out, with major attractions 30 to 40 miles apart. Three of our cities are among the seven largest in Texas, and they all have something to offer. But none, alone, rivals the whole.

The key is mixing and matching the assets to the best effect, and the Super Bowl is an ideal test. It requires multiple hotels and entertainment facilities to handle more than 100,000 visitors. The NFL sees this as a capacity issue, and we should think of it as a chance to get people to sample our different communities.

If one team stays in Dallas and another in Fort Worth, the NFL puts its headquarters at the Gaylord Texan, and Arlington hosts events at the stadium, we'll know that visitors are getting a taste of the real experience here.

And isn't that our strength? You can take in Fort Worth's Cultural District and Sundance Square on one day, go to Dallas' Victory and Uptown areas the next. Spend some time in Grapevine's historic downtown and the Gaylord, visit the Four Seasons resort and the Mustangs in Las Colinas, and -- soon to come -- walk around Glorypark and the new stadium in Arlington.

Every major metropolitan area has unique neighborhoods, and most have large downtowns. But few have as many urban centers that are so different.

Consider Southern California. If the Rose Bowl is the main event, visitors still go to the Santa Monica beach one day, and to Hollywood or Disneyland another.

Our assets are different, but it's a parallel situation. And with tourism, it's the best way for us to compete against perennial favorites like San Diego, Miami, Arizona and New Orleans.

If the Cowboys stadium were being built in Fair Park, near downtown Dallas, almost all the activity would be within a tight area. That's convenient for visitors, especially with the DART light-rail system, but it wouldn't show off the best of North Texas -- or force us to work together.

When Boeing considered moving its headquarters here in 2001, we worked as a region to find office sites, raise public money, and wine and dine executives. That cooperation was hailed as a breakthrough, because area cities and chambers of commerce usually fight over every scrap of economic development.

With Boeing, that thinking changed: Get the company here and we would all benefit, whether the execs chose Dallas, Las Colinas or Westlake.

Boeing chose Chicago, and the regional approach lost some steam. This is a chance to reclaim it, build upon it and apply the lessons in a broader way.

We'll spend nearly four years and millions of dollars preparing for the Super Bowl, and it will be over in a week or two. Let's figure out how to make the good feeling last.


That's what I'm talkin about! The regional attitude we should have all the time to get stuff done, instead of competing with each other. We should steal UT's commercial slogan and be "Were North Texas". But people will get confused and think were talking about UNT. So maybe "Were DFW".

[hvresident]

^This is a very well written article.

[rantanamo]

Its nice for us that there is a lot here and being spread out is not as big of a deal to us because we have our cars here, but it forces challenges for visitors that they might not have in other, more concentrated metros. In many metros, one can experience a lot that a metro offers in couple of days. Here to experience the same, you almost have to make several day trips. I know Dallas doesn't have the stadium, but Fair Park would have been a better location for hosting big events. The goal here is to host the best possible party, not to show every nook and cranny of the metroplex. I think all we will show is that we are a jack of all trades, but master of none. Attractive to some, not so much to others. I would think if we wanted to show something, it would be that we are outstanding.

And nothing against, FW, but this is a FW paper. OF course they like the game in Tarrant County better.

[FoUTASportscaster]

More than eight in 10 residents in this region live somewhere other than those two cities...

North Texas is the right description, a brand name that encompasses the region's 6 million people...

What? Dallas alone has one in five of the regions population. 1.2 million divided by 6 mil is 20%. Add FW's near 700,000 and the region has almost 1 in three in D or FW. The accurate way to phrase that would be less than 7 in 10.

If one team stays in Dallas and another in Fort Worth, the NFL puts its headquarters at the Gaylord Texan, and Arlington hosts events at the stadium, we'll know that visitors are getting a taste of the real experience here.

Yes the real experience of sprawl. Having to be stuck in a car to get anywhere because there is little critical density to make a carless experience possible.

[dallasrookie]

The only thing that can go wrong is an ice storm the week of that Super Bowl.

http://www.almanac.com/weatherhistor...590&wban=03927

I pulled up the almanac and i notice that this year the high was 70 degrees, check previous years. The prediction of a warm feb is pretty good, (thanks to global warming)

[awill19]

I think this article is aimed more towards the future. It would be hard for visitors to get around if they only had cars, but if the region can unite for a big event, like the Super Bowl, maybe we can finally have a regional rail that can take us anywhere in the metroplex. Now that will be somethin, and environmentally friendly if people will use the rail instead of their cars.

[GuerillaBlack]

You hear stuff about the owner's meetings in the Metroplex all the time on ESPiN and stuff. The NFL holds those meetings in the Dallas area more than any other area.

Really? I would have thought New York. ESPN says a lot of stuff from New York.

[rantanamo]

I haven't heard of an owners meeting in New York in a while. The last two were Nashville and the Gaylord Texan before that. The most popular Dallas spot seems to be the Hilton Anatole.

[KBilly]

Looks like it is fianlly going to happen... more here...DMN article

ARLINGTON – One of the nation's largest suburbs is on the verge of getting the taste of big-city life that local leaders have sought for more than a decade.

The Arlington City Council is expected to give the final go-ahead Tuesday for construction of Glorypark, a residential, retail and office complex inspired by the thriving urban neighborhoods surrounding Chicago's Wrigley Field and Boston's Fenway Park.

City staff and the Texas Rangers have been discussing and negotiating this $479 million project for years – long before the Dallas Cowboys move was likely.

"I've had doubts before about whether this would really happen," Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck said. "That's pretty much gone. I think it's a done deal."

Glorypark, sandwiched between the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and the new Cowboys stadium, is one of a string of dramatic developments in the past couple of years in Arlington. The city and the Cowboys are building a $1 billion stadium, which will be the site of the Cotton Bowl game starting in 2010 and the 2011 Super Bowl.

:smokecld:
I can see the future headline now when construction starts this fall...

Excavation Finally Begins on new Glory Hole in Arlington.

[Tnekster]

Anybody seen the web page?

http://www.glorypark.com/our_vision.htm

[rantanamo]

what did they approve? I thought they already started on some townhomes or something

[gc]

what did they approve? I thought they already started on some townhomes or something

They have already started working on townhomes, but those are not officially part of the 'Glorypark' development. The developers that ride on the coattails of 'Glorypark' will be the determining factor of the success/failure of this area.

[msutton]

I hope it materializes into something as impressive as the plan. Would be great for Arlington, and a major step into continuing the process of transforming DFW from a massive suburb into a unique urban region with its own gradient of characteristics.

[tamtagon]

The relative success or failure of this Arlington development will resonate throughout evolution of the North Texas style of living.

As the future American 'social fabric' begins to solve the unforseeable problems from three (+/-) generations of suburban bliss, Sunbelt population centers will become a source of Cultural Innovation. Cities scapes designed without consideration of a car too crowded? Suburbs of tract housing too diffused for an enticing lifestyle? Our current fascination with New Urbanism, mixed use and Transit Oriented Development is creating a new way to live. Dallas and its satellite cities are leading the rennovation of the great American Suburban Lifestyle and what happens in Arlington will be a big part of the deal.

[incrediculous]

Look at those plans on the website. Is it just me, or are they essentially killing Randol Mill Road as it enters Glory Park and passes by the Ballpark?

[Tnekster]

Look at those plans on the website. Is it just me, or are they essentially killing Randol Mill Road as it enters Glory Park and passes by the Ballpark?

No, it's not just you. They are killing Randol Mill which is a very wide road as it passes by the ballpark. You will be forced to go through the development or somehow go around it.

[louisianacharm]

personally....I like the city of dallas and the region, but to market this game as a region would be a mistake. no one wants to visit grand prarie or all these local satellite cities...people wanna know where the game is and where the party is. the writer of this article about it being regional should think about this. with an extra couple hundred thousand people in your town who waants to drive from ft. worth to dallas.....because dallas eill be the place everyone wants to get to. I went to the final four in atlanta, and due to rail access and proximity...it was one of the best large events I've been to.

one question.....in this article it states that the rangers lease is up when bonds are paid....does this mean that the rangers are onva year to year lease now.

[awill19]

Did they say what they're turning that Eastern Star Home into? I know that someone bought it and they said they were waiting a little while to develop it to see what the area would do. Hope it somethin cool?

[rantanamo]

personally....I like the city of dallas and the region, but to market this game as a region would be a mistake. no one wants to visit grand prarie or all these local satellite cities...people wanna know where the game is and where the party is. the writer of this article about it being regional should think about this. with an extra couple hundred thousand people in your town who waants to drive from ft. worth to dallas.....because dallas eill be the place everyone wants to get to. I went to the final four in atlanta, and due to rail access and proximity...it was one of the best large events I've been to.

one question.....in this article it states that the rangers lease is up when bonds are paid....does this mean that the rangers are onva year to year lease now.

I believe the Rangers just signed and agreement to not leave until after 2023. That's why I think Dallas needs to be looking at sites for a park now, and start preliminary planning on how to help fund the Cowboys Stadium equivalent for the Rangers. 2023 is not that far off.

[awill19]

I think Dallas will have to do a hell of a lot to take the Rangers away, especially since by then Arlington will have been the home of the Rangers for about 50 years, and this is the place the Rangers were born. Arlington would have to be sick to let them go. I think if anything they'll remodel it rather than move, since this is actually a major league ballpark . Not like their upgraded minor league stadium.

[Kelley USA]

Most people thought Irving would be sick to let the Cowboys go, but look what happened! I think Dallas would have a good chance of getting the Rangers. It would be up to the owner anyways... Perhaps Hicks will finally understand that people are not making the drive to Arlington to watch this team- and furthermore they need a retractable roof stadium. People are tired of sitting in 100 degree weather to watch a bad team (or even a good team for that matter).

[awill19]

It will all depend if the team is good. If the team is actually god for a change then it won't matter people will make the trip to see a winning team (especially because by then there will be a regional rail making it easier for people to get around the region, hopefully) But I must admit if the Rangers are bad they may have to move just to keep fans going to the game. However I don't think they're moving cause The stadium they're in now is one of the best stadiums to watch a baseball game even though the team is bad. Were in a different era now, the stadiums being built are replacing ones that were built in the 60's and 70's. I think since we have new and better technology I don't know if people are going to be complaining about capacity, technology, or anything like that 15 years from now. I could be wrong.

But they could use a roof. I wonder how long does it take to put a roof up? Hey they could they could play in Frisco for a year.

[Lakewooder]

One of the renderings I saw of Glory Park in the paper looks like an enlarged West End Market Place, or essentially, an indoor mall. Not what I was expecting to take Arlington from suburb to player.

[rantanamo]

but it, like Firewheel will have a ton more foot traffic than Victory or The West Village. That's because of lots and lots of mainstream retail. The suburban projects seem to understand that a lot more than the Dallas projects.

[GuerillaBlack]

One of the renderings I saw of Glory Park in the paper looks like an enlarged West End Market Place, or essentially, an indoor mall. Not what I was expecting to take Arlington from suburb to player.

Do you think Arlington will ever become a major player in North Texas?

[Tnekster]

Do you think Arlington will ever become a major player in North Texas?

What do you mean ever? Isn't landing the 1.2 Billion Cowboy stadium kind of a clue?

[rantanamo]

Do you think Arlington will ever become a major player in North Texas?

If they ever commit to truly becoming a destination OR if they decide to go the corporate route then they'll be real players. Otherwise, Dallas,Fort Worth, Frisco, Irving and Plano >>> Arlington.

[awill19]

How is Arlington NOT a major player now? It is the third largest city in North Texas and it's arrow definitley pointed up. The school system is always considered one of the best, although there are a lot of good schools in the area. Crime's not that high. They already had the Rangers, Six Flags, and Hurricane Harbor, not to mention the fact that local team called the COWBOYS are coming. There already a major player. They've been a major player for a while now.

[psukhu]

If they ever commit to truly becoming a destination OR if they decide to go the corporate route then they'll be real players. Otherwise, Dallas,Fort Worth, Frisco, Irving and Plano >>> Arlington.

How is Arlington NOT a major player now? It is the third largest city in North Texas and it's arrow definitley pointed up. The school system is always considered one of the best, although there are a lot of good schools in the area. Crime's not that high. They already had the Rangers, Six Flags, and Hurricane Harbor, not to mention the fact that local team called the COWBOYS are coming. There already a major player. They've been a major player for a while now.

I think Rantanamo is talking more about an economic player. Think more along the lines of per capita income, number of headquarters, land value, etc.

If someone had a net worth of a $1 million or higher, what are the top ten areas where they would want to live in DFW?

If a Fortune 1000 company was looking to move to DFW, what are the top 10 places they would consider?

[Kelley USA]

I work in Arlington- and I have always thought that about 80% of this town is pure crap!

[tamtagon]

If they ever commit to truly becoming a destination OR if they decide to go the corporate route then they'll be real players. Otherwise, Dallas,Fort Worth, Frisco, Irving and Plano >>> Arlington.

I think Rantanamo is talking more about an economic player. Think more along the lines of per capita income, number of headquarters, land value, etc.

If someone had a net worth of a $1 million or higher, what are the top ten areas where they would want to live in DFW?

If a Fortune 1000 company was looking to move to DFW, what are the top 10 places they would consider?

I think it would be foolish for Arlington to put too many eggs in the Fortune 1000 Company recruitment basket.... Las Colinas, Stemmons & Platinum & Telecom Corridors, Dallas CBD present overwhelming competition.

The kinds of developments Arlington must seek out are those which will compete with AND compliment the theme-resorts popping up around Grapevine. Glorypark seems likely to serve as an excellent staging area for major events, but it's still unclear whether or not the (mostly) open air retail experience center will manifest into a cohesive setting capable of holding the attention of tourists beyond their primary destination. The worst thing that could happen is that Glorypark turns into a traffic buffer for locals - milling around the development before and/or after events just to avoid the traffic crunch.

The initial Glorypark tenant line up is really important, and probably the most difficult thing to figure out.

[awill19]

Yeah well if you go by money then that is different and I think that Arlington shouldn't compete for those corporations, because there's no room. unless they build up, but that would just be stupid.

I really hope Glorypark get's some really cool stuff. I don't want to see the same stuff I always see around here. I want cool interesting things that people around the region would have to come to Glorypark to experience. I'm really crossing my fingers for ESPN Zone.

[Lakewooder]

Arlington has had two failed malls in its somewhat recent history...

[rantanamo]

Why not build up? They claim they have the setting, they are limited in land now, and they have a perfect location to build up like other burbs have. Arlington seems like it would be a great place for Fortune 500s based on what others claim are the reasons for their locations(which I've never bought, its all about incentives).

I think if they are the destination they claim to be, they need to partner with GP and turn that stretch of I-30 into their own Vegas. Otherwise, one could easily spend as much vacation time elsewhere in the metroplex.

[awill19]

I guess we could build up, it would just seem weird, especially since I grew up here, to have skyscrapers in Arlington. But that is a great idea about that stretch of I-30. You think about it Nokia, Lone Star Park, New minor league stadium, Ballpark in Arlington, Cowboys, Six Flags, Hurricane Harbor, Glorypark. Since I-30 runs through the middle of the metroplex it would be smart to build there.

Also I think the reason why those malls failed was because everybody was going to the Parks, and those malls couldn't keep up.

[Kelley USA]

I think the reason it hasn't happened is because there is very little quality housing, very little in terms of quality shopping etc... When you look at Plano and Las Colinas- you have nice grocery stores, shopping, restaurants and good neighborhoods.

[hamiltonpl]

The renderings I've seen were nothing close to skyscrapers. Instead, they were 4 story buildings. But that may go for a skyscraper in Arlington. Who knows.

[mikedsjr]

Arlington has had two failed malls in its somewhat recent history...

Six Flags and.......

I think that has more to do with poor management of those places, or possibly movement of the money.

[Tnekster]

I guess I can't think of what other mall you are talking about besides Six Flags Mall.

Forum 303 or whatever it was called. Right off of Pioneer, really too close to The Parks to ever survive.

[mikedsjr]

Man you were fast. I changed my post up.

Was Forum 303 in Arlington or Grand Prairie?

[Lakewooder]

Let's face it, there are some very nice portions of Arlington with post oaks and hills and nice homes but the majority are aging tract homes and the even the good homes don't bring the median price much over $100,000. I am familiar with some of the schools and I know a lot of people don't like them - but they used to be somewhat good. I think there are some good ones left, however. I know a few people who moved to Arlington then put their kids in private schools (I was saying under my breath, then what was the point of moving to Arlington?)

The Arlington demographics will not support Glory Park - unless maybe The Parks mall is closed. It will have to be tourists.

[awill19]

I heard something about taller buildings in that Lamar-Collins overlay they're going to build.

This is why I'm confused about the whole Arlington-Grand Prairie thing. I think both of those malls are in Grand Prairie, but I read an article that Forum was in Arlington and its being torn down. Hopefully to build something better, but not a mall.

Does anyone know what Reunion Arena is going to be?

[awill19]

After they tear it down of course. Also how long do you think that Wal-Mart will last across the street from arguably the best stadium in the world. I know I want it gone by the Super Bowl, that would be too emberassing to see in the papers.

[Tnekster]

Both malls are in Arlington and yes Forum is supposed to come down. The sooner the better as far as I am concerned, that whole 360 corridor needs serious work.

[GuerillaBlack]

Let's face it, there are some very nice portions of Arlington with post oaks and hills and nice homes but the majority are aging tract homes and the even the good homes don't bring the median price much over $100,000. I am familiar with some of the schools and I know a lot of people don't like them - but they used to be somewhat good. I think there are some good ones left, however. I know a few people who moved to Arlington then put their kids in private schools (I was saying under my breath, then what was the point of moving to Arlington?)

The Arlington demographics will not support Glory Park - unless maybe The Parks mall is closed. It will have to be tourists.

Thee "hills" in Arlington are small (the largest are around Lake Arlington), but I get what you are saying. The best schools and homes in Arlington are on the southwestern side (where I happen to live. From Cooper Street to 820. Everyone goes to the Parks Mall, and it sucks. I was there yesterday with some friends, and it is so damn crowded. Where are all these people coming from? Arlington needs another mall on the north side. I think Glorypark could be supported. Either that, or Mansfield builds a mall down there, so the residents stop coming up here and crowding up the place.

Someone needs to cut the grass along I-20 and 360 though. It's like a jungle.

[psukhu]

Arlington has UTA, which is a major asset. I don't think UTA is being fully utilized in the effort to gentrify Arlington.

Glorypark will be that much better if they can somehow link it with UTA. I'm not sure how to do that without mass transit.

[mikedsjr]

Gueriila, But the hills of Arlington are bigger than what you typically find in north of downtown Dallas, which is basically flat. North Arlington has some hills, but not around Glorypark.

Technically, part of Tarrant County are considered part of the Upper Hill country.