Globe Life Field update: Construction now 72% complete

Construction of Globe Life Field, the new home of MLB’s Texas Rangers, is now approximately 72% complete and on track for a March 2020 opening.

When the Texas Rangers move into their brand new Globe Life Field home in seven months time, fans will benefit from features including a 5.5 acre retractable roof and air-conditioned comfort.

The ambitious project, with an estimated cost of more than US$1bn, aspires to become the top venue in Major League Baseball. 

The official groundbreaking for Globe Life Field – with an approximately seating capacity of 40,300 – took place on September 28, 2017, with construction beginning the following week.

The new 1.8 million square foot ballpark, located on 13 acres just south of the current Globe Life Park in Arlington, is now entering the final phase, with construction being some 72% complete.

Construction status

In terms of construction status on the project:

Roof Steel:

• Work is ongoing on the 5.5 acre retractable roof. The final section of the second retractable truss was installed last week. The second truss was moved to its parked position on Wednesday.
• Construction on the third retractable roof truss has started on the field. The first piece of the third section will be installed next week.
• There are a total of five retractable roof trusses. Steel work for the retractable roof is expected to be complete by the end of October.
• The east fixed roof truss was decentered last week, allowing the truss to completely carry its weight.
• The roof will use a total of 19,000 tons of steel. Roof construction started in late fall 2018, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.

Additional Roof Work:

• Planar trusses are complete on both the east and west side of the ballpark. Steel infill was completed last week.
• Metal decking and roofing is complete over the west portion of the ballpark. Decking on the eastern portion is 80% complete.
• Eight of 20 total bogies, the housing for the wheels and motors for the operable roof, have been installed. Four more bogies will be installed next week. The bogies weigh 114,028 pounds each.

Internal Work:

• Restrooms and showers have been tiled in the home clubhouse areas.
• Drywall is 75% complete in the ballpark. Drywall on the club and concession areas is currently in progress.
• Cabinets have been installed on the Founders Suite Level.
• Carpentry work is ongoing on the exterior suite areas.
• Concession and restroom tile work on all levels, including the suite level, is ongoing.
• Installation has started for the retractable glass on the lower suites.

External Work:

• Granite and Lueders stone work is ongoing on both the interior and exterior columns of the ballpark. Brick work is ongoing on the interior columns.
• Construction is ongoing on the southwest entry, one of five main entry gates to Globe Life Field. Concrete columns were completed earlier this week and steel work has started.
• Glass installation on the north side of the ballpark is ongoing.

Miscellaneous:

• Preliminary air conditioning function has been established in limited areas of the ballpark, including the service level and lower concourse. Air function was also established in the office building this week.
• Seat rails are in the process of installation on the main concourse.
• Work on the concession fronts is ongoing.
• Kitchen equipment is being set throughout the building.
• Restroom fixtures, including toilets, and sinks, are in process of installation.
• Plumbing, HVAC & Electrical work is ongoing.
• 13 escalators have been installed on-site. Five of 24 total elevators are in the process of installation.
• The four-storey office building, located on the southeast side of the site, is 80% complete.

Structural Steel:

• Bowl steel was completed in mid-February, using a total of 16,000 tons of steel to construct. The final piece was installed on the upper concourse area of centerfield, the northeastern portion of the site.
• The bowl steel construction started in June of 2018, taking nine months to complete.

HKS is the design architect for the project and Manhattan Construction Company is the Construction Manager. There are currently approximately 1,400 workers on-site daily.

The new Globe Life Field, which is being built as a public-private partnership between the City of Arlington and the Rangers, will not only be the team’s new home but also a multipurpose sports and entertainment venue that will include capabilities for hosting high school, college and international sports, as well as entertainment tours.

Premium offering

All of the premium VIP suites and spaces at Globe Life Field have been brought to life, thanks to them having been digitalised through 3D Digital Venue’s Interactive Virtual Reality Solution VIP3D. This tool has enabled the Texas Rangers to display all of the spaces in an interactive environment and allowed patrons to receive a first-class experience when making their premium selections at the Globe Life Field Sales Center.

During the sales process, each client is provided with a personalised experience, made possible by VIP3D’s capability to provide an interactive view of the premium seats, suites, and clubs associated with their purchase.

All of the materials delivered to the Texas Rangers were used to create the Globe Life Field Sales Center, which showcases exactly what the new ballpark  encompasses. 3D Digital Venue technology has also allowed the relocation of the Season Ticket Members, giving them an accurate view from their seat and an amazing fan experience through 3D Virtual Reality.

Through these tools, and the partnership with Tickets.com and Channel 1 Media, the Texas Rangers have hosted over eleven-hundred appointments, and helped create a unique experience for each client that walks in the door.

3D Digital Venue and Channel 1 Media will be sharing insights on this and other projects at ALSD International – Europe’s one and only event dedicated to the Premium Seat & Hospitality sector – taking place at Croke Park Stadium in Dublin this October. Experts from across Europe and North America will be providing insights on how to increase revenues through new builds, renovations and service expansions, as well as via the latest F&B and technology offerings.

#ALSDInternational – Europe’s leading event dedicated to the Premium/VIP Seat & Hospitality sector

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