The Texas Rangers face the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series starting Sunday, and businesses in Arlington are glad for the team's playoff push. The Rangers hosted their first playoff game of 2023 Tuesday night when they completed their sweep of Baltimore in the Division Series.
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"That was our little warm-up, if you will," says J. Gilligan's Owner Randy Ford.
J. Gilligan's runs a shuttle to events at Globe Life Field and AT&T Stadium. Ford says more than 300 people used the shuttle for the game against Baltimore, and his sales more than doubled from a normal Tuesday night.
"It's a win-win for everybody. I love it. Go Rangers," he says.
The shuttle will run for the ALCS, too. Parking at J. Gilligan's is free, and the shuttle costs $10. Details are available here.
Ford started shuttling people from Downtown Arlington to events in the Entertainment District when AT&T Stadium opened. The city has approved the shuttle, and Ford says the trip takes less than ten minutes.
"You've got a wide sidewalk. Police are out there, and you don't have to fight the traffic," he says.
In addition to a spike in sales, Ford says a deep playoff run can introduce visitors from other cities to restaurants and other things to do in Arlington.
"It's not just J. Gilligan's. It's the entire downtown area. Boy, this downtown has grown up," he says. "We've got our neighbor and we'll see Fuzzy's Taco cups coming to ride the shuttle. That's just fine with me because they're exposed to the neighborhood."
Games 1 and 2 of the ALCS will be played in Houston Sunday and Monday. Games 3, 4 and a fifth game if necessary will be played in Arlington starting Wednesday.
Individual tickets for ALCS games at Globe Life Field go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday. The Rangers say a "limited number of scattered singles and standing room only tickets" would be available. Reserved seating had sold out. People can buy tickets here.
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