North Texas businesses ramping up for World Cup 2 years away
ARLINGTON - Now that the dust has settled from Sunday's World Cup announcement, stakeholders are mapping out plans to capitalize on the possible billion-plus dollar impact.
In Arlington, hotels are already booked solid for the event that's still more than two years away. Prince Lebanese Grill operates just down the street from AT&T Stadium.
"You can see AT&T Stadium through that window, so we are really jacked up that it's going to be here in 2026," said Aziz Kobty, of Prince Lebanese Grill.
Kobty's kitchen staff serves hot Mediterranean dishes while he cooks up ideas to make money off of the 2026 World Cup.
"We're definitely gonna try to mix it up, and just breaking news now, we're going to maybe look at doing a truck having some events here promoting the great atmosphere of the games," Kobty said.
The Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce says both Loews hotels at Texas Live are already fully booked around the 2026 World Cup schedule that was announced on Sunday and that short-term rentals are being built nearby.
Housing is only one of the beneficiaries of an event that Chamber President and CEO Michael Jacobson believes could have an economic impact of over a billion dollars.
"I know it's going to be a significant number," said Jacobson. "I don't want to throw one out ... It could be everything, a dry cleaner could benefit from it. Anybody who's in the business of selling to people who will be here long period of time or short period of time."
While Arlington paid for and built the venue necessary to attract nine World Cup games, the city will have to accept being called Dallas when the international spotlight shines on what will be called Dallas Stadium.
"Dallas is the brand that's recognized around the world," Jacobson said. "So, again we just couldn't be more proud."
"Everybody's joining together, and we kind of get the politics of it."
Business owners like Kobty don't care what the stadium is called as long as World Cup traffic finds its way here.
What the World Cup's governing body will call the stadium could still be modified according to the Arlington chamber, which is in the process of conducting an analysis on the event's potential economic impact.