Fast forward 30-something years later to today and competitive gaming (also known as eSports) is a big business. Arlington entered that business in fall 2018 when it opened North America’s first dedicated venue to eSports, which continues to be the largest in the nation. For Dallas-Fort Worth area visitors, this is a big deal.
Courtesy: Marlon Parungao
ARLINGTON ESPORTS STADIUM
The 100,000-square-foot Esports Stadium Arlington is a part of the city’s entertainment district, where non-gaming options, such as retail and dining, social spaces, and a broadcast studio, are available for multigenerational visitors. The stadium itself will accommodate up to 1,000 fans and offer VIP amenities.
Any day of the week, you can stop by the Esports stadium to play the latest and greatest games in the Gaming Center. Love playing on a PC? Xbox One? Nintendo Switch? Playstation 4? You’ll find them all here. Ticket prices vary depending on how long you want to play, starting at $4 for one hour.
Before visiting, be sure to check out their events calendar and see what tournaments are coming up. You might even get a chance to strut your stuff—they often host tournaments that are open to the public, like the weekly Tuesday night RUSHDOWN.
Courtesy: Marlon Parungao
AMERICAN DREAM CITY
The Esports stadium is housed in the Arlington Convention Center (where you can host events and epic gaming tournaments), located in the heart of the American Dream City. For gamers and visitors, Arlington is a great place to visit because it offers several attractions close to each other. You have the amusement parks Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, the International Bowling Museum, and the Texas Live! entertainment complex, which includes a new, 300-room hotel and multiple dining options.
You also have other sporting events to visit when they’re in season, such as America’s Team—the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park. And now with the Esports stadium, Arlington becomes a place where anything is possible. Or as Mayor Jeff Williams said, it’s the “American Dream City.”
I never dreamed about becoming a competitive gamer when I was 10 years old. I just wanted to beat my friends’ scores. But now it’s a new world out there, and you no longer have to run the fastest or hit the hardest to win. You just have to score the most points. For Arlington, its point total is clearly in the lead.
Featured Image Courtesy: Ross Stewart