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Arlington Esports Stadium Slotted to be Largest in America

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Arlington, Texas, will soon be the home of a $10 million esports stadium. Yes, you read that right. Known for its athletes who excel in basketball, baseball, and football, Texas will also soon be known for the largest esports facility in America. Gamers and spectators alike will come together in a 100,000 square foot structure designed to host esports matches, video games centered around team competition.

With a capacity for 1,000 spectators, the Arlington esports facility is positioned to get a share of the pie from a sector on track to be a $2.3 billion industry by 2022. Worldwide, professional teams are assembling to compete in games such as Overwatch and DOTA2 and in leagues that will soon be professionally promoted with expertise from the NFL, NBA, and Fox Sports.

Arlington Esports Stadium Slotted to be Largest in America

Photo: Facebook/League of Extraordinary Gamers

Planned in partnership by the City of Arlington and Esports Venues, the Arlington stadium is unique in its development. It’s the only venue designed specifically for gaming competition which isn’t a repurposed structure. Everything will be new, from the ground up, and slated for esports competition and spectating in a whole new way. “There’s a lot of similarities that esports share with traditional sports,” explains Brian Mirakian, the project’s lead at the design firm. “Fans want to go and be together to share an experience. That’s the universal aspect that’s the same. But where there’s a lot of difference is, a lot of times, [esports] events are very much longer. They don’t have a finite beginning and end.”

Arlington Esports Stadium Slotted to be Largest in America

Photo: Facebook/Andrew Greenstein KRLD

Esports tournaments can easily go on for eight to 10 hours. Subsequently, the need for comfort and great amenities at Arlington’s esports stadium is priority number one. Resembling more of a high-end sports bar, the Arlington facility will have a number of lounge areas, excellent food service, and the opportunity to easily transition from spectator to player yourself. “It’s important to create these common social spaces that have something for everyone,” Mirakian told  fastcodesign.com. “Public gaming areas. Access to food and beverage. Sponsor activations. Meet and greets with the team. Smaller-scale competition. We think that’s just as important as a large-scale venue itself.”