ARLINGTON, Texas — The City of Arlington says the road test of hosting the inaugural Java House Grand Prix of Arlington was a success.
It’s now full steam ahead to the next stop: the FIFA World Cup. A city official said they received “terrific reviews” for its hosting of the Grand Prix earlier this month.
“We got so many terrific reviews from not only the drivers, but the fans,” said Arlington Deputy City Manager Jennifer Wichmann, adding the city worked hand in hand with Pensky Entertainment to put the rubber to the road. “One of the things that we really learned from the Pensky Group that was super helpful is that they know their fans, they know their event, and they did a great job of working with area businesses and hotels to tell them in advance what to expect.”
Wichmann said, despite a smooth inaugural Grand Prix run, there were a few hurdles along the way.
“With any large event like that, you come up with a plan, you have the plan created, but then you have to adjust on the fly,” she said.
The city navigated through unknowns and unexpected issues, including weather and strong winds. They’re now preparing to take the lessons learned and apply them to their preparations for the FIFA World Cup in June.
“Over the three days of the Grand Prix, we had about 82,000 people here,” said Wichmann. “We will have 100,000, possibly more, every match day for the World Cup.”
They’re hosting nine matches, which is the most out of all the host cities, and likely to draw a large international crowd that will not only cheer on their teams inside AT&T Stadium — which will be temporarily renamed Dallas Stadium — but will venture out to festivities in the entertainment district and surrounding venues.
“We have to help them keep cool, understand the Texas heat,” Wichmann said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced grant funds for cities hosting the World Cup, with $51 million going to Dallas. According to Wichmann, part of that is going to Arlington.
“Things that are well underway are our transportation planning, public safety planning, our planning for how the community will operate around the event,” said Wichmann.
She said they are also working to keep the community updated through the city’s website and social media platforms and to address residents’ concerns.
“Some of them have the misconception that perhaps we’re taking resources away from neighborhoods in order to staff the World Cup, and that’s simply not true. All of the regular resources and protections will be there,” Wichmann said.
In the meantime, the preparations continue as fans also prepare to cheer on their favorite teams in Arlington.