Southwest Sports Group Lining Up Players for 220-Acre Project That Will Encircle Ballpark

The Southwest Sports Group Inc. is lining up some major players to exercise an option to purchase 220 acres encircling the Ballpark in Arlington for a mixed-use development that is expected to break ground by the end of next year.

COO Mike Cramer told GlobeSt.com that interviews are being set up with “three or four” leading developers to head the team. A decision is expected within a few months, at which time a master plan also will be further defined. Cramer has declined to identify the developers with whom the Sports Group has opened talks.

Cramer says the acreage is available at “a fairly minimal price,” in line with a pact mortared 10 years ago when the Texas Rangers threatened to leave the city and forced the floating of a multi-million dollar bond issue to build a new stadium. The bond issue will be paid off in September 2001, taking with it a sales tax imposed upon residents to cover costs. Part of the deal required the city to purchase land around the park to service the stadium, with the understanding the Rangers could buy it for a predetermined price in the future. The future is now, says Cramer.”We are ready to get going and start developing. It’s time for us to exercise our option and take down the land,” Cramer told GlobeSt.com. He expects the land purchase also will occur in the next few months. He says the city bought 270 acres, but roughly only 220 are suitable for development.