Earlier today, the long-standing Sheraton Arlington Hotel was imploded, clearing the way for a brand-new resort.

The 19-story hotel, located near Six Flags in the Entertainment District, opened in 1984 with 311 rooms. A fixture of Arlington’s skyline for decades, the building sat on the former site of Seven Seas (rebranded as Hawaii Kai for its final season), a marine life theme park that operated from 1972 to 1976.

Though remodeled over the years, the decision was eventually made to tear it down. Demolition had been planned for over two years, but the hotel remained open until finally closing its doors early this year.

Organizers planned a controlled implosion with carefully placed dynamite. The demolition drew an enthusiastic crowd of onlookers. Some were there to pay their respects, while others just wanted to witness a building come tumbling down. After the countdown, an old-timey looking detonator was pushed (likely for show) followed by a series of explosions that sounded like giants marching in unison. Seconds later, a cacophony of noise erupted as the structure collapsed into a massive cloud of dust. The building crumbled in seconds, precisely as planned.

Sheraton Arlington Hotel comes tumbling down
Photo Credit: Fort Worth Star-Telegram – June 6, 2026

The City of Arlington shared a short clip of the implosion on social media, racking up over 2 million views in less than a day. The comment section brought out the internet’s sarcastic and infantile best, of course, but one elderly woman who watched in person genuinely called it “incredibly exhilarating.” Indeed, a 40-year-old building vanishing in seconds is quite the sight. It was satisfying to watch online—I wish I had been there.

Construction has already begun on the next project: Americana by Loews, their third property in Arlington. The $500 million luxury resort will feature over 500 rooms and is expected to open in 2029.

With that, our skyline continues to evolve. Tourism remains a massive economic driver for Arlington, with bigger and better hotels constantly enticing visitors. The city welcomed over 16 million visitors in 2024—40 times our population. That’s a lot of “heads in beds,” indeed.

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Blog post by Jason S. Sullivan, 06-06-26