Arlington City Council voted unanimously to designate its entertainment district as a cultural district.
The vote by council classifies the former Arlington Entertainment District on the city level, but state approval will be required before the change becomes official in the eyes of the Texas government.
That's because cultural districts are defined by the state. If the city gets that , it will connect the area to special resources and a network of other cultural districts across the Lone Star State.
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 Entertainment 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, the Medal of Honor Museum and several hotels, shops, restaurants and apartments.
The district is hosting nine FIFA World Cup matches this summer.
Correction: This story has been updated to indicate the city council designated the Arlington Entertainment District as a cultural district.
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