Posted: 3:09 PM May 7, 2004 Last Updated: 3:09 PM May 7, 2004
5/7/04
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - The Texas Rangers on Friday reached a 30-year agreement with mortgage company Ameriquest and renamed its stadium Ameriquest Field in Arlington.
Ameriquest is the official mortgage company of Major League Baseball and the title sponsor of in-stadium and on-line MLB All-Star balloting. The company is headquartered in Orange, California but has 17 offices in Texas.
While financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, Rangers owner Tom Hicks called the deal an "another important step toward our goal of building a team that is competitive every year."
The extra money could help Hicks get out of the hole created by the 10-year, $252 million contract that attracted Alex Rodriguez to Texas after the 2000 season. Hicks still is paying a chunk of the deal, even after trading Rodriguez to the New York Yankees.
Without Rodriguez, the Rangers are off to the best start in baseball at 19-10.
The stadium was known as The Ballpark in Arlington.