Arlington

What Arlington's entertainment district covers

Arlington, the city between Dallas and Fort Worth, holds two of the biggest venues in Texas side by side. The Dallas Cowboys play at AT&T Stadium, and the Texas Rangers play at Globe Life Field, both with retractable roofs. Between and around them sit Texas Live, a dining and concert complex, the former Rangers ballpark now called Choctaw Stadium, and Six Flags Over Texas. Nearby, College Park Center on the University of Texas at Arlington campus adds college basketball.

The pattern is simple: football from August preseason to January, baseball from March to September, and stadium concerts, college football and special events whenever the schedules allow. For the rest of the region's teams, including the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and the NHL's Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center, see the Dallas–Fort Worth guide.

• Stadiums: AT&T Stadium (80,000, expandable past 100,000), Globe Life Field (about 40,300), Choctaw Stadium.
• Concerts and nightlife: Texas Live and its Arlington Backyard stage (about 5,000).
• Arena: College Park Center (up to 7,000), home of the UT Arlington Mavericks.
• Theme park: Six Flags Over Texas, open since 1961.

AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field

AT&T Stadium

AT&T Stadium opened on May 27, 2009, as Cowboys Stadium. It seats 80,000 and can hold more than 100,000 with standing-room areas behind the end zones, under a retractable roof with glass end-zone doors and a center-hung video board about 160 feet wide. Beyond Cowboys games, it hosts the Cotton Bowl Classic every season, the Big 12 Championship in December, college football neutral-site games, WrestleMania and the biggest stadium tours. It was also a 2026 FIFA World Cup venue.

Seat judgment in brief: the home sideline is on the south side (sections 109–112), the visitors on the north side. The 200-level clubs give a better angle than the low 100-level rows, and the 400 level is a long way up but sees the whole field and the video board. See the AT&T Stadium Seating Chart for section detail.

Globe Life Field

Globe Life Field opened in 2020 with about 40,300 seats, a retractable roof with clear panels and artificial turf. It hosted the entire 2020 World Series and the 2024 MLB All-Star Game, and the Rangers won their first World Series in 2023. The home dugout is on the first-base side. Because the roof can close against Texas summer heat, sun and rain matter far less than at an open-air ballpark. Lower seats between the dugouts are the premium; the upper deck behind home plate is the value play.

Texas Live, Choctaw Stadium and the rest of the lineup

• Texas Live: Opened on August 9, 2018, between the two stadiums. It mixes restaurants and bars around a central hall with a 90-foot screen for watching games, plus Arlington Backyard, an outdoor concert venue of about 5,000 with covered seating. Globe Life Field's left-field entrance connects to it, which makes it the default pregame spot for both stadiums.
• Choctaw Stadium: The Rangers' ballpark from 1994 to 2019, renamed in 2021. The UFL's Renegades left after 2024 and North Texas SC after 2025, so as of 2026 it has no permanent pro tenant and hosts high school football and occasional events.
• College Park Center: The UT Arlington campus arena (opened 2012, up to 7,000 seats) is home to Mavericks basketball and volleyball. The WNBA's Dallas Wings played there from 2016 through 2026 and are set to play 2027 at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
• Six Flags Over Texas: Opened in 1961 and now open year-round, with Fright Fest through October and Holiday in the Park from late November through December.

Arlington's calendar: what is on when

• March to September: Rangers baseball. Opening Day and summer weekend series draw the largest crowds.
• August to January: Cowboys football, including the preseason. Thanksgiving Day, a Cowboys tradition, and division games against the Eagles, Giants and Commanders are the biggest demand dates.
• Late August to December: College football neutral-site games and the Big 12 Championship at AT&T Stadium.
• Bowl season: The Cotton Bowl Classic, a College Football Playoff game in some seasons, is played around New Year's.
• November to March: UT Arlington basketball at College Park Center.
• Year-round: Stadium concerts in spring and fall, shows at Arlington Backyard, and Six Flags seasonal events.

When a Cowboys game and a Rangers postseason game or a big concert land on the same day, parking and traffic tighten across the whole district. Check both stadiums' calendars before you book.

Getting around without a train

Arlington has no light rail or fixed-route bus system, so getting to the stadiums takes planning. The good news is that once you are in the district, AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field and Texas Live are within about a 5- to 13-minute walk of each other on flat, paved paths.

• Driving: AT&T Stadium has about 12,000 spaces in 15 numbered lots, with more in lettered lots near the ballpark. As of the 2026 season, lots open five hours before Cowboys games and allow tailgating in designated grassy areas. Globe Life Field lots open two to two and a half hours before first pitch.
• Arlington Trolley: A free shuttle links participating hotels to the stadiums and Texas Live on event days, starting about 2.5 hours before events. A hotel on the trolley route saves the most hassle.
• On-demand rideshare: The city's Via-operated on-demand service runs Monday through Saturday, not Sundays, so it does not help for most NFL games.
• Regional rail: The Trinity Railway Express stops at a station near DFW Airport, where riders can transfer to on-demand service or rideshare to the district.
• Bags: As of 2026, AT&T Stadium enforces a clear-bag policy, and Globe Life Field allows small soft-sided bags but not backpacks; check the AT&T Stadium bag policy and the Rangers' guest guide before you go.

Neighborhood notes and tips for visitors

• Entertainment district: Texas Live and the Live by Loews hotel next to the stadiums are the most convenient places to eat and stay, and they book up fastest on Cowboys weekends.
• UT Arlington area: College Park Center sits in a campus district with restaurants and housing, a short drive from the stadiums.
• Staying in Dallas or Fort Worth: Arlington sits between the two cities, so either works as a base, but plan on driving or rideshare; there is no rail link to the stadiums.

For big games, the secondary market is where most visitors find tickets, and prices move with the opponent, the standings and the weather on game day. Every order on this site comes with guaranteed entry. Summer heat is intense, even with roofs on both stadiums, so plan for the walk from the lot.

Sources

• Wikipedia – AT&T Stadium
• AT&T Stadium – Bag policy
• AT&T Stadium – Parking
• PSL Source – AT&T Stadium sidelines
• Wikipedia – Globe Life Field
• Rangers – Guest guide
• Wikipedia – Choctaw Stadium
• CultureMap Dallas – Texas Live opening
• Wikipedia – College Park Center
• FOX 4 – Dallas Wings to play 2027 at American Airlines Center
• Wikipedia – Six Flags Over Texas
• Getting around Arlington without a car