The newly reopened Caravan Court Hotel is welcoming guests once again as Arlington continues preparing for an influx of international visitors ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Located about a half-mile from what will soon become a World Cup pitch, the hotel officially reopened this week after be ing reimagined from its original roots as the Caravan Motor Hotel. General manager John Thomas said the renovation was designed to celebrate Arlington’s history while creating a destination for future visitors. “This hotel is meant to be a landmark in the Arlington area,” said Thomas. The property embraces a 1960s-era Arlington theme, including its fine dining restaurant, The Vandy, named after former Arlington Mayor Tom Vandergriff. Vandergriff is credited with helping transform Arlington into a major entertainment and sports destination. Thomas said the restaurant serves as a tribute to the longtime civic leader. “This was kind of a way for us to pay homage to him and all that he did in the area,” said Thomas. The original Caravan Motor Hotel once served travelers along a busy highway. Thomas said the goal of the renovation was to restore the property’s significance within the city. “We’ve kind of reimagined it, reinvented it, built it up so it can be that landmark of Arlington, again,” said Thomas. The hotel’s reopening comes as Arlington prepares for one of the world’s biggest sporting events. Thomas said that timing was intentional and the hotel hopes to introduce visitors to the city during the World Cup. “The timing was absolutely intentional,” said Thomas. “We want the outside world to really experience what Arlington has to offer.” The reopening is one of several redevelopment projects underway in Arlington. Just down the road, the former Sheraton Hotel is scheduled to be imploded Saturday morning to make way for a new development. “We have the implosion of the old Sheraton Hotel, which will be redeveloped into the Americana by Loews Hotel,” said Arlington Deputy City Manager Jennifer Wichmann. Wichmann said completing the project before international visitors arrive will be important. “That’ll be an interesting piece of business to sort of get out of the way before we welcome the world to Arlington,” said Wichmann. As Arlington prepares for the World Cup, Thomas said hotel leaders are coordinating with the city on logistics, including parking and traffic plans. “We’ve been trying to plan with the city,” said Thomas. “Make sure that we have some logistics for parking and traffic.” Decades after Vandergriff helped bring Major League Baseball and amusement parks to Arlington, Thomas said the city is once again preparing for a transformative moment. “We want people to come and visit our hotel to really, really be proud of something. And say, ‘This is Arlington. This is the Arlington that we remember and that we love,” said Thomas. The Caravan Court Hotel is still undergoing some finishing touches, including the installation of its original sign. However, most of its restaurants and lounges are now open, and bookings are being accepted. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication. ...read more read less