Arlington City Council voted unanimously to redub its entertainment district to the Arlington Cultural District.
The change gives a new name to the area with four sports venues, multiple museums, an exhibition center and hotel and shopping options.
The change isn’t in name only: cultural districts are defined by the state and will connect Arlington’s district with others across Texas.
The vote by council renames the former Arlington Entertainment District on the city level, but state approval will be required before the reclassification becomes official in the eyes of the Texas government.
City Manager Trey Yelverton has been tasked with submitting the area's state application to become an official cultural district.
The classification is administered by the Texas Commission of the Arts, according to a city staff report. The TCA “recognizes districts that demonstrate a strong concentration of cultural assets, community support and a clear vision for growth.”
The report also says the network of cultural districts help each other drive tourism, support local artists and stimulate private investment into those districts.
This makes the area the second cultural district in the city. The state designated a Downtown Cultural District in 2016, anchored today by Levitt Pavilion, Theatre Arlington, Arlington Music Hall and UT Arlington, among others.
Work to have the area classified as a cultural district began in earnest in 2024, according to the staff report.
The Arlington Cultural District is home to the Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys, as well as Esports Stadium Arlington, Choctaw Stadium, Texas Live!, the Arlington Museum of Art and several hotels, shops, restaurants and apartments.
The district is hosting nine FIFA World Cup matches this summer.
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