ARLINGTON (1080 KRLD)- When Arlington hosts the Major League All-Star Game July 16, a village outside will draw visitors coming for the game and North Texans looking for a way to take part. "All-Star Village" will cover 650,000 square feet between Choctaw Stadium and Esports Stadium.
"We have over 50 attractions catering to our youngest fans, our newcomers to baseball, to our lifetime legends," says Brian Dudkiewicz, design director for the developer, BaAM Productions.
BaAM has worked with Major League Baseball for several All-Star Villages, including last year in Seattle. Dudkiewicz says the company works with the league and also local businesses to give visitors a look at the region.
"We work with local businesses to make it specific to the venue, specific to the team and specific to that year of the All-Star Game," he says.
Dudkiewicz says some who come to the All-Star Village take a family vacation to the All-Star Game frequently, so they want to provide new memories each year.
But he also says locals make up a big chunk of visitors, so they want to highlight the history of the Texas Rangers. Fans will be able to tour Choctaw Stadium, where the Rangers played through 2019, stand on home plate and tour the clubhouses.
"We really want to give an opportunity to anyone, whether it's bringing in someone new who's never seen a baseball game, introducing them to this amazing sport and amazing franchise, or someone who's been following baseball their whole lives," Dudkiewicz says.
He says they expect more than 100,000 people to visit.
"We imagine it being more than ever, especially with the Rangers' [World Series] win last year," Dudkiewicz says. "Having a baseball game just last night, seeing the turnout and all the excited faces just walking past our site to get to Globe Life, you can tell the city's excited."
All-Star Village opens Saturday, July 13 and runs four days through the All-Star Game. Tickets range from $15 to $35. Details are available here.
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