Arlington Backs $8.5 Million World Cup Spend as Netherlands-Japan Opens 6-Match Texas Run
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jun 14
Arlington Backs $8.5 Million World Cup Spend as Netherlands-Japan Opens 6-Match Texas Run
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jun 14
Summary
$8.5 million in World Cup-related costs has not shaken Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, who said the city expects state and federal reimbursement as the first of six group-stage matches starts Sunday with Netherlands vs. Japan.
Ross defended Arlington’s long-running stadium subsidies by citing $324 million in annual economic benefits from AT&T Stadium, even as critics question public spending, traffic and whether locals can afford tickets.
400,000-resident Arlington faces a transit test as the largest U.S. city without mass transit, relying on commuter rail, buses and city-backed ride-share options while parking is expected to cost hundreds of dollars.
Netherlands supporters are expected to stage a fan march involving tens of thousands, adding a major crowd-control challenge that Ross said Arlington police are equipped to handle after managing past mega-events.