MLC: What is the History of the Grand Prairie Stadium?
The Grand Prairie Stadium pre-construction
The Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas has been earmarked as the hub for all of the Major League Cricket games taking place from 13th July through to 30th July. The new, purpose-built stadium will feature 19 matches across 18 days, including the inaugural final.
Its construction is being heralded as the best cricket stadium in the US. Mayor of Grand Prairie, Ron Jensen, was delighted at the new sports arena's prospective impact. He said: "Grand Prairie Stadium will be the best cricket venue in the United States upon its completion. This venue will be a huge asset to the Grand Prairie community, bringing Major League Cricket, international cricket and potentially the 2024 ICC T20 Men's World Cup to Grand Prairie, allowing fans here to experience a world-class sport in action."
But how did the Grand Prairie Stadium come to be? What is its history? Who are the architects behind the project?
Let's break down the history of the Grand Prairie Stadium.
It Used to Belong to the Texas AirHogs Baseball Team
Texas AirHogs logo - the baseball team folded in 2020
That's right! The stadium once belonged to a baseball team known as the Airhogs. From 2008 until 2020, the outfit participated in the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which bears no affiliation with Major League Baseball.
They were named Airhogs after a slang term used to describe military pilots during World War II because of Grand Prairie's links with the aviation industry.
In 2011, the AirHogs beat Minnesota-based St Paul Saints to win their only Championship Series, but honours were few and far between. They announced a partnership with the Chinese Baseball Association (CBA) and Shougang Sports from 2018 to 2020. As part of this agreement, 30 members of the Chinese National Baseball Team (the Beijing Shougang Eagles) received and rotated their roster onto the Airhogs' bench.
As the Coronavirus pandemic gripped the planet, the Airhogs were sadly one of the many sports and recreational teams to fall foul of enforced closures. In 2020, they were wound up, with a statement on their Facebook page thanking the local community: "We appreciate the love and support the AirHogs fans have shown over the last 12 years. To all that have played a part in the success of the team, thank you."
The Ribbons Were First Caut in 2008
The original architects were SPARKS Sports, a division of Crafton Tull Sparks, a 100% employee-owned civil engineering, surveying, landscape architecture, and planning firm.
A $20 million project, its capacity was initially listed as 5,445, which is dwarfed by the current plans to extend the total seats to more than 15,000 for major events.
The stadium shares a plot with Lone Star Park, a thoroughbred racing track that is the centrepiece of a massive entertainment complex all year round. The plot of land boasts plenty of small businesses and restaurants, too, and has long been a great day out for local residents.
Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie
Grand Prairie has always been a sports-mad community that values franchise sports, and the area will likely welcome the addition of a brand-new competition.
When Did the New Grand Prairie Stadium Work Begin?
Construction started on the new stadium in July 2022. There have been some doubts about the timeline, with some officials reportedly concerned about the speed of development.
However, there is increasing confidence the stadium will be ready to go in time for the opening Major League Cricket game in July.