Globe Life Field, the new home of the Texas Rangers, will open March 31 with many first-of-its-kind features. The 40,000-seat stadium will include "Sky Porches" and the league's first single-panel retractable roof. But the highlight has to be the speakeasy behind home-plate.
Designed by HKS Architects, one of the top sports and entertainment design firms in the world, the field sets a new bar of what fans should expect from Major League ballparks. The goal was to make the fan experience extend beyond the ballpark and baseball for those visiting Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington.
"The minute one steps into the ballpark, they know they are in the great state of Texas," Loretta Fulvio, Interior Design Director of HKS Architects, told Departures." The meandering lower concourse has the atmosphere of a food hall, offering a multitude of dining and retail experiences, from classic ballpark foods to crowd-pleasers with a twist such as hot dogs topped with jalapeno cheese grits and sausage rolls made with rattlesnake meat."
And, according to Fulvio, there are numerous ways guests can enjoy the various food and beverage offerings throughout the ballpark without missing any action on the field. There are rocking chairs on the Sky Porch above left field (the perfect spot to enjoy Texas BBQ) and clubs at the field level, right next to the action on the ground. Even the bars offer an unobstructed view to the field so patrons can wait in line for a drink and never miss a minute of a game or concert. The main concourse also includes a marketplace with a terrace, allowing guests to step outside on the patio and enjoy a meal overlooking the exterior of the stadium.
As far as the speakeasy goes, visitors will enter a lavish Roaring 20s-designed lounge where they must offer up a special knock and password before entering through a sliding door equipped with a peephole. "The jewel in the crown of the concourse is the Speakeasy," said Fulvio. "Once inside, they are treated to small plates of daily specials featuring exotic flavors accompanied by creative cocktails. It's an experience unlike any other in Major League Baseball."
