Following weeks of speculation and published reports citing sources, leaders in Arlington are now speaking publicly about their plans to lure an MGM Grand resort to the city.
During a candidate debate Monday night, Mayor Robert Cluck told the audience the city is in “advanced discussions” with a developer to build a 750 room resort near AT&T Stadium.
While he did not say who the developer is, he did reveal who would operate the hotel.
“We’re in strong negotiations – I would say advanced,” said Cluck, who is currently running for re-election. “If we can close the deal, it will be the MGM Grand.”
City leaders have long expressed the need for more hotel rooms in Arlington’s Entertainment District so that more visitors to AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Park and Six Flags Over Texas will choose to stay in Arlington rather than Dallas or Fort Worth.
Cluck said the city has been working on attracting a new hotel for years and cited failed discussions with a different developer as a reason why those plans have been delayed.
“We’ve been disappointed, but now we want to see it go through successfully,” said Cluck. “The [developer] we’re talking to now can do it.”
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Cluck told the audience he’s optimistic they’ll be able to make an announcement within the next 12 months.
NBC 5 reached out to MGM Resorts for comment, but has not heard back.
