DFW News App

The MLB All-Star Game will be July 18 at Globe Life Field in Arlington. (Courtesy photo | Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau)
” data-medium-file=”https://fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image1-2.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image1-2.jpg?fit=780%2C520&ssl=1″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button”>
The city of Arlington could hit an economic home run in July when it hosts the Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Globe Life Field, with some estimates of the game’s economic impact approaching $90 million.

The game will be played July 16 and accompanied by plenty of activities aimed at luring baseball fans and tourists to the city’s hotels, restaurants and retailers. By all accounts, the game will be a financial boon for the city.

After all, when Major League Baseball announced in November 2022 that Arlington would host the game, no one could have known that the hometown Texas Rangers would win the World Series in 2023 and heighten interest in the sport. The All-Star Game will attract fans from across the world, city officials said.

“We’re looking at $85 million in direct and indirect economic impact,” said Matt Wilson, senior vice president of sports & events at the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau and executive director of the Arlington Sports Commission. “That’s obviously a huge lift to Arlington and all the areas around it, but I think what it does for us, even more so than that, is gives us another thing to put on our roster of events.”

According to Baseball Almanac, previous All-Star Games have resulted in similar economic impacts. In 2020, it said, Los Angeles reaped a benefit of $89 million.

Wilson said the All-Star Game has a far-reaching impact.

“It’s not a local event, it’s not a regional event, even the United States — it is a global event,” he said. “As baseball has grown in popularity, overseas and at home, the eyes of the world will be on Arlington, Texas.”

That rising popularity could influence fans from places such as Japan to travel to watch baseball in the United States.

“They’re going to be able to come to Arlington, and we’re ready for that,” Wilson said.

Of course, having three stadiums in the Entertainment District and an increasing number of hotel rooms helps the city sell itself for big events such as the All-Star Game.

“Arlington is definitely on the short list, because there aren’t very many places that can do what we can do and do at a very high level,” Wilson said. “We’re very fortunate that the citizens of Arlington have been so supportive to build these stadiums and these hotels — all those good things.”

Gus Garcia, economic development director for the city, said that major events such as the All-Star Game generate a lot of tax revenue for the city and plenty of business for restaurants, hotels and retailers in the Entertainment District in particular.

Among the big events during the All-Star Game week is the Capital One All-Star Village, MLB’s marquee fan festival, which will host visitors from around the world for four days, July 13-16.

For the first time, the All-Star Village will take place in a former Major League ballpark, Choctaw Stadium, next door to Globe Life Field.

The village includes the youth participation-focused Capital One PLAY BALL PARK, which will make use of  the nearby Esports Stadium and the North Lawn to create a uniquely one-of-a-kind baseball theme park in the heart of the Arlington Entertainment District.

“The Entertainment District was designed to be able to generate these types of entities,” Garcia said. “There were a lot of economic development agreements established and executed for this exact purpose.” 

He said the Entertainment District’s venues and allure increase both the hotel tax revenue that comes in and the sales tax generated by businesses benefiting from increased foot traffic and purchases.

“I think that’s going to have a significant, direct effect on our ability to not only provide services to the city but make good on those agreements and deliver what we planned,” Garcia said. 

The All-Star Game is just one in a series of major sports events announced for the city.

Earlier this year, FIFA announced that AT&T Stadium in Arlington would host nine matches of the 2026 World Cup, including a semifinal match. That’s more than any of the other 15 host venues for soccer’s biggest event.

Here are the major events in Arlington associated with the 2024 All-Star Game:

July 12

HBCU Swingman Classic presented by T-Mobile and the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation.

This is an annual All-Star experience for baseball student-athletes from Division I programs at historically Black colleges and universities. It will be held at Globe Life Field.

July 13

All-Star Futures Game 

All-Star Celebrity Softball 

July 13-16

Capital One All-Star Village

July 15

Gatorade All-Star Workout Day

T-Mobile Home Run Derby

July 16

All-Star Red Carpet Show

MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard

At the Arlington Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.