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Business Plan Return to Table of Contents
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Through the CARES Act, Tarrant County established a Small Businesses Assistance Grant program with two rounds ending in
December 2020. Staff partnered with community organizations to advertise the grant and developed a support center to assist
Arlington businesses. For the remainder of 2021, the Economic Development team will continue to innovate and implement
strategies to create jobs, increase capital investment and recruit/retain businesses.
The Esports Stadium Arlington + Expo Center organized
into divisions consisting of Administration, Event Services, and
Facility Operations and offers catering and audio/visual services to
accommodate small and large groups for expositions, public
events, trade shows, meetings, special events, and esports
competitions.
The Arlington Expo Center operates a 50,000 square-foot expo hall.
The facility also is home to Esports Stadium Arlington – a 30,000
square-foot esports competition showroom, a state-of-the art
broadcast and live-event production suite, as well as 8,500 square-
feet of esports training, office, and team hospitality spaces.
Additionally, the venue boasts the Gamer Gallery – an 8,000
square-foot esports retail gaming LAN center, open to the public daily.
The department administers the City’s contracts with the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB) and Esports Venues,
LLC. and works together with these partners to help increase tourism and promote attractions and events in the Entertainment
District and the City. Esports Venues, LLC operates and markets Esports Stadium Arlington as the premier facility in the United
States for esports events. The company also organizes and produces esports events in the venue. The Arlington CVB is the
official Destination Management Organization for Arlington. The ACVB functions include strategic planning and leadership,
advocate for tourism product development, hospitality & tourism workforce development, arts and cultural heritage of the
destination; oversee, create, and implement marketing campaigns and promotions to inspire leisure travelers to visit; the
recruitment and securing of large and small scale conventions, meetings, and special events, such as: PBR Global Cub and
PBR World Finals, 2020 National Finals Rodeo, WrestleMania 38, 2021 Rose Bowl, Cotton Bowl Classic, Esports Awards, and
many more. Both partners’ sales efforts will focus on increasing the number of bookings that utilize the ESA+EC, continuing to
grow hotel room demand, increasing hotel occupancy throughout the city, and furthering the development of the amateur sports
and esports markets.
The ESA+EC is located in Arlington’s Entertainment District, and is close to Globe Life Park and Globe Life Field (Rangers),
Texas Live!, AT&T Stadium (Cowboys), Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor, and is easily accessible from Interstate 30.
The Finance Department provides support and information to assist the City Manager and the Mayor and City Council in
management decision-making. The department facilitates the development and tracking of the City’s business plan and
performance-based budget and acts as a strategic partner with departments to provide financial expertise and guidance with
City-wide impact. The department is also responsible for preparing the City’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,
processing payments to City vendors, preparing City payroll, procuring goods and services, monitoring consolidated tax
collection efforts, and directing the City’s cash and debt portfolio management activities. Divisions in the department include
Administration, Accounting and Payroll/Payables, Purchasing, Treasury Management, and the Office of Management and
Budget. The Office of Management and Budget has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the past 35
years. The Accounting Division received the Certificate of
Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 42 time,
nd
and the Purchasing Division received the Achievement for
Excellence in Procurement Award for the 18 consecutive year.
th
Under the department, Arlington was the third Municipality to be
awarded all five of the State Controller’s Traditional Finance
Transparency Stars.
FY 2022 Adopted Budget and Business Plan 13 City of Arlington, Texas