NEWS & ANALYSIS FACILITIES
HKS designs US$1bn ballpark for Texas Rangers The architecture firm behind Minnesota Vikings’ US$1.1bn (£905.9m, €1bn) US Bank Stadium has been appointed by Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise The Texas Rangers to design a new ballpark. HKS will develop a design for the venue to include a retractable roof for climate control. It will also have a capacity of 42,000, which is down from the 50,000 spectators The Texas Rangers’ can accommodate at its current Globe Life stadium, but will put fans closer to the field of play.
“For us to work on this is one of the highest honours we can achieve”
The capacity of the ballpark will stand at 42,000, less than the 50,000-seat Globe Life The US$1bn (£823.6m, €951.1m) cost of the stadium will be split between the franchise and the city of Arlington. HKS is developing a name for working on mega stadium projects. The company has recently been appointed to design the new Los Angeles Rams stadium in Inglewood, which is also expected to cost more than US$1bn to build. Arlington mayor Jeff Williams said the Texas-based firm was “first-
rate”, adding: “HKS had to prove themselves. They had to come forward and earn the opportunity to work on the new ballpark.” Bryan Trubey, HKS executive vicepresident, said the company “feels very deeply about this project”. “For us to have the opportunity to work on this new venue is one of the highest honours we can achieve,” he said. Read more: http://lei.sr?a=V5K6r
Orlando City FC building MLS’s first safe-standing section The first safe-standing
football in the region.
section within a Major
Like many of the other
League Soccer (MLS) stadium
German Bundesliga stadiums,
is being built in the new
Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion
home of Orlando City SC.
accommodates safe-standing. There have been calls for
According to the franchise, the stand will take inspiration
English Football League clubs
from the ‘Yellow Wall’ in Borussia
to introduce safe-standing, but
Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion,
such a policy would have to be
which creates a loud and
brought in by the government
intimidating atmosphere.
and this looks unlikely to
The steep stand will form part of the club’s new
Populous has designed the new stadium for the club
US$100m (£80.6m, €95.8m)
happen in the near future. Orlando City SC has been playing in the MLS
stadium, which is being
the capacity has since been
average attendance in the
since joining in 2015 as an
designed by Populous.
increased to 28,000 due to
MLS in its maiden season
expansion team.
popular demand. Orlando City
(37,400), demonstrating a
Read more:
secured the second-highest
high demand for professional
http://lei.sr?a=A6T4r
Originally designed as a 19,000-spectator venue,
28 Issue 129 January/February 2017
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