Supercharger - Arlington, TX

[emupilot]

I found this article dated June 7, 2016 but couldn't find previous reference to it here at TMC:

Council members voted unanimously to approve a resolution allowing Tesla Motors to build and operate an electric supercharger station at the Arlington Convention Center located at 1200 Ballpark Way. A total of 10 parking spaces will be designated for Tesla vehicles or those with compatible charging technology. The project will cost approximately $250,000, of which Arlington will pay $150,000 as part of a grant to invest in energy alternatives.

The agenda for the city council meeting is here, complete with staff report on the supercharger station on page 198.

1200 Ballpark Way, Arlington TX

 

[Boourns]

That is an interesting location. Why put it so close to the Rangers' and Cowboys' stadiums? Try to charge at the wrong time, and you will be fighting terrible traffic.

 

[NoPetrolDream]

Sweet. I work just up the street at UTA. If I ever need it for going somewhere in DFW other than home after work I can run over there easily.

 

[JMG]

That would be awesome! I regularly go to DFW and almost always have to get a CHAdeMO charge to make it back home. Great find!!

 

[bollar]

That is an interesting location. Why put it so close to the Rangers' and Cowboys' stadiums? Try to charge at the wrong time, and you will be fighting terrible traffic.

I'd say because the city is buying it for promotional purposes and the stadiums are the place where they're most likely to be seen.

 

[fwgmills]

boller is right. The Convention Center has nothing around it (no restrooms or restaurants) but it is within 1/4 mile of AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Park, Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. It'll be a stop for people coming and going. Arlington may be counting on the new Ballpark passing which would build the new park on the SW corner of Randol Mill and Ballpark Way. Then once that is done they knock down and redevelop the site where the current ballpark is. Now you have retail near the Supercharger but that is at least 5 years away...IF the Arlington voters pass it.

EDIT: I should have said WHEN the voters pass it. Nobody I ever knew or talked to voted for the original Ballpark or Cowboys stadium but both of them happened and we had to pay for them. So my tax dollars helped billionaire Jerry Jones get a stadium that I can't afford to see a game in. I actually worked at the Ballpark for many years. They are doing a huge disservice to the city tearing it down after only 22 years.

 

[fwgmills]

Oh, and by the way. I grew up just down the way from there so I'd be happy to do the weekly progress reports on construction.

 

[Boourns]

I wonder how much say Tesla has in exactly where the Superchargers are installed? This seems like a terrible idea. I am all for one in Arlington but that specific location is awful.

 

[TexasEV]

Tesla chooses the supercharger sites. Of course this may require a negotiation with the property owner over siting, but if Tesla doesn't like it they would find somewhere else. It sounds like the city paying a large portion of the cost may have a lot to do with choosing this site.

I see an interesting clause in the agreement-- the city can ticket non-charging vehicles parked there, and can also ticket Tesla vehicles parked there for more than two hours. That should solve the problem of Tesla owners using it for destination charging when they're at the stadium!

 

[purplewalt]

I wonder if there is a parking fee associated for when the Rangers or Cowboys (or college teams/high school teams) visit the facilities in one of the adjacent properties?

Or does Supercharger pre-empt the parking fee?
I do understand the necessity of issuing a parking ticket for anything in excess of 2 hour parking.
Maybe somebody IS thinking ahead.

 

[Fiver]

It sounds like the city paying a large portion of the cost may have a lot to do with choosing this site.

Leaning towards this as the reason. Hard to complain when the city throws $150k at you.

 

[Electroman]

Hard to complain? If it is not strategically located and is difficult to use for the customer, then it is not hard to complain. On several occasions you could be spending an extra hour just to get in and out of that place, not to mention the charging time and the lack of any amenities near by.

 

[fwgmills]

Hard to complain? If it is not strategically located and is difficult to use for the customer, then it is not hard to complain. On several occasions you could be spending an extra hour just to get in and out of that place, not to mention the charging time and the lack of any amenities near by.

Well, if Arlington gets their way (and taxpayer buy-in) in about 5-10 years this supercharger will be in the middle of restaurants, shopping, entertainment and lodging. Also being centrally located (almost dead center by the way) in the metroplex will make it a weigh-station for travelers all around coming and going to events, sports and the amusement park. It's actually a really good location as long as you're looking far down the road (pun intended) since there is a ton of available parking behind the convention center and expanding this Supercharger in the future would be really easy as long as they plan ahead when doing development. That will be really important when the Model 3 starts shipping with any kind of numbers. You're right...traffic around there is hideous during events and that would have to be addressed but it's not the first time a Supercharger was build in an inconvenient place. The ones build inside pay parking garages always cracks me up.

This could be the smartest thing Arlington has done in a long time. I hope it works out for them.

 

[fwgmills]

Construction could start soon.

News - Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Arlington TX

 

[jaysquyres]

I went by today, no construction yet. There have been survey crews out (according to staff,) and he thought there would only be 4 spaces? I thought they mentioned 10. He pointed to the first 4 Handicap spaces is where they will go. I marked it with a Red circle:

 

[Boourns]

At least you will have a nice view of the Ballpark. Not much room to expand later, though.

 

[Electroman]

I really wish it was the furthest corner in that big parking lot and not the handicap spaces

 

[jaysquyres]

I really wish it was the furthest corner in that big parking lot and not the handicap spaces

I think the whole row is Handicapped (30 spaces,) so they wanted to put them the farthest away. They probably have the same rules as Whole Foods & Central Market: EV or Handicapped. Here is my son at the one by our house:

 

[Cnasty]

We need one in North Texas already!!! And Denton doesn't count

 

[fwgmills]

I went by today, no construction yet. There have been survey crews out (according to staff,) and he thought there would only be 4 spaces? I thought they mentioned 10. He pointed to the first 4 Handicap spaces is where they will go. I marked it with a Red circle:
View attachment 184343

Oh dear Lord I hope not! Those handcap spots will fill with ANY event and then no Teslas could charge at all. They should really put them at the back (SW side) of the parking lot behind the convention center. This business of making handicap spots also EV charging spots really puts two minority groups against each other, the physically disabled and the electric vehicle driving public. SUCH a bad idea.