Report: Rangers to announce plans for new retractable-roof stadium

The Texas Rangers appear to be the latest MLB team that will leave their current home earlier than expected.

The Rangers and the City of Arlington are expected to announce plans for a new stadium that would be fit with a retractable roof, according to the Dallas Morning News. The announcement could be made as early as Friday and a timeline set for when the ballpark might open and how it would be financed.

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This come as a bit of a surprise, given that Globe Life Park – commonly referred to as The Ballpark in Arlington – has only been open since 1994 and the Rangers’ lease at the stadium doesn’t end until 2024. Texas would join the Atlanta Braves, who are moving to suburban Cobb County next year after spending the last 20 seasons at Turner Field in downtown Atlanta, as teams departing their homes after a relatively short period of time.

The desire for a new stadium in Texas is simple: the roof will help make the summer heat slightly more bearable, a factor that has affected attendance at Rangers games. Big-league ballparks just don’t last like they used to.

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Israel Fehr is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr