City officially opens Mansfield Stadium

By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

Texas Health Mansfield Stadium officially opened to the public Wednesday morning with a ribbon cutting, city, state and soccer officials and a champagne toast.

Despite an early workout to host practices in June by the Czechia National Team for the FIFA World Cup, the 200,000-square-foot facility is now officially open for business and will hold its inaugural match on July 4 between North Texas Soccer Club and St. Louis City 2.

“We are the southern gateway of soccer into DFW,” Mayor Michael Evans told a crowd of approximately 100 gathered for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the stadium, 700 N. Miller Road within sight of Texas 360. “(Our council) saw the potential of a multisport stadium in our community. This stadium is a game changer, a destination venue.”

With World Cup soccer gripping the nation, including nine matches in Arlington this summer, the timing is perfect, the mayor said.

“I’m starting to feel like it was meant to be,” he said. “The anticipation is building for a summer of soccer. This is the most soccer watching that we have ever done. Now we have a stadium for that passion to grow. It is soccer time in Mansfield.”

The North Texas Soccer Team will call Mansfield home, plus the stadium will host other events, including FC Dallas soccer games July 15 and Aug. 5 and the U.S. Women’s Rugby team Oct. 17.

The city of Mansfield owns the $85 million multi-use stadium, which will be operated by REV Entertainment and the Hunt Sports Group. The 7,000-seat stadium has a natural grass field, four locker rooms, 10 suites, a club, lounges and the longest outdoor bar in North America.

Dan Hunt, president and co-owner of the Hunt Sports Group, calls the stadium a dream come true.

“This is that stepping stone that will enable players to step onto the national stage,” said Hunt, whose company owns FC Dallas. “We will produce a generation of players.

“2026 is the year of soccer,” he said. “This is a community that believed and we delivered. We are truly a soccer nation now.”

State Rep. David Cook (District 96) presented state proclamations to mark the event.

“You knocked it out of the park,” Cook told the city, contractors, architects, REV Entertainment, the Hunt Sports Group and Texas Health. “This is what a public-private partnership looks like.”

Cook, who served as Mansfield mayor for 12 years, pointed out that for many people, the stadium, located near the southern city limit, will be their first glimpse of Mansfield.

“This is the front door to the city of Mansfield,” Cook said. “How much better is this than a parking lot for a trucking facility, which is what it was going to be?”

For ticket information, go to mansfield-stadium.com.