Arlington wants taxpayers to split $1 billion cost of new park with Rangers

3:14 PM ET

On Thursday evening, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reported that the Texas Rangers and the city of Arlington are close to announcing plans for a new retractable-roof stadium. If a scheduled news conference is any indication, that announcement should come Friday.

The current lease for Globe Life Park in Arlington is set to expire after the 2023 season, and though the club has performed recent renovations, it would appear that the Rangers and their current host city are prepared to tear up that lease in order to get a shiny new ballpark much sooner.

Baseball purists, beware. Although you love baseball being played outdoors, the 100-plus degree heat in the summer can make watching a game in Arlington unbearable. At least that’s what the Rangers want you to think.

For the Rangers, a new stadium deal makes all the sense in the world. Sure, they’ll be able to attract fans who once refused to come to the ballpark because of the intense heat. The summertime sun has long been thought to be a factor in the Rangers’ inability to lure free-agent pitching. If you’ll remember, even Yu Darvish came over from Japan as a result of MLB’s posting system, so it isn’t as though he chose to pitch in Texas. Beyond the Texas heat, however, a new stadium would figure to increase the baseball club’s value significantly. And why not? The city would be picking up half the tab.

There have been quiet rumblings in …

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