TEXAS — The Cotton Bowl showdown is nearly here, bringing tens of thousands of college football fans to North Texas and a surge of business for local restaurants and shops in Arlington.

Arlington, a city that regularly hosts major sporting events, from Dallas Cowboys games to international competitions, is once again seeing the economic ripple effects of the annual Cotton Bowl Classic. 

For Aziz Kobty, owner of the family-run Prince Lebanese Grill, the influx of visitors has become a reliable winter boost. 

“Arlington having a good relationship with Cotton Bowl, bringing 100,000 people in town is always good,” Kobty said.

Prince Lebanese Grill has been part of the Arlington community since the 1989, growing into a nationally recognized restaurant while also partnering with major Dallas sports teams over the years.

“The Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers are, you know, we get to work with those people, it’s like, you have to pinch me and wake me up that it’s a dream come true for us,” Kobty said.

While the holiday season can bring fluctuating sales for many businesses, Kobty said the Cotton Bowl remains a dependable anchor for revenue.

“We’re extremely blessed, and, you know, our city works hard to keep a lot of good events here,” he said.

Cotton Bowl officials estimate the game injected about $100 million into the North Texas economy during the 2021 season. Although the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce does not conduct a full economic impact report for every Cotton Bowl, it tracks key indicators tied to major events.

“What we just see are full hotels, we know our restaurants are busy, we know our small businesses are busy,” said Michael Jacobson, president and CEO of the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce.

This year’s matchup between Ohio State and Miami, which will determine who advances to the College Football Playoff semifinals, is expected to bring another strong economic showing for the city.

“We have an economic development corporation that’s funded by a quarter cent sales tax. So, when people come to Arlington, not only are they having economic impact at the moment, but they’re also funding our economic development corporation,” Jacobson said.

Local business owners like Kobty say that community support and major events help keep money circulating locally as Arlington prepares for an active stretch of events in 2026, from a March Grand Prix to the World Cup matches in the summer. 

“We have a ton of community support. We’ve had it for the past 36 years, and you keep the money in your economy, in your town,” Kobty said.