Dallas Cowboys New Stadium

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = Dallas Cowboys New Stadium
location = Arlington, Texas


broke_ground = September 20 2005
opened = Fall 2009 (scheduled)
owner = Jerry Jones [cite web |url=http://www.ci.arlington.tx.us/citysecretary/pdf/110204/110204_faq_english.pdf
title=FAQ About Dallas Cowboys Project |publisher=City of Arlington
date=2004-11-04 |accessdate=2008-06-19]
construction_cost = $1.3 billion (estimated) [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=mosley_matt&page=hotread1/mosley] ]
builder = Manhattan Construction Company
architect = HKS, Inc.
tenants = Dallas Cowboys (NFL) (2009-)
Big 12 Championship Game (NCAA Football) (2009-2010)
Cotton Bowl (NCAA Football) (2010-)
Super Bowl XLV (NFL) (2011)
seating_capacity = 80,000 - will be expandable up to 100,000 (estimated)

Dallas Cowboys New Stadium is the working title of a new stadium being built in Arlington, Texas for the NFL's Dallas Cowboys. It will replace Texas Stadium, which opened in 1971, as the Cowboys’ home. It is scheduled to open before the 2009 NFL season and will accommodate 80,000, with the possibility for expansion to accommodate 100,000.

New Cowboys Stadium was designed by the Dallas-based architectural firm HKS. [cite web |url=http://www.ci.arlington.tx.us/news/2006/archive_0106_15.html
title=Arlington Welcomes Dallas Cowboys Selections for New Stadium |publisher=City of Arlington
date=2006-01-31 |accessdate=2008-01-15] Besides the Cowboys, the new stadium will be used by college football teams and other organizations for other sporting and non-sporting events. On March 10, 2008, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, joined by officials and coaches from Texas A&M University and the University of Arkansas (Jones' alma mater), announced that the two schools would renew their rivalry with annual games at the stadium, beginning October 3, 2009.cite web
url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/031108dnspoamarkansas.3eaf64a8.html |accessdate=2008-03-10 |date=2007-03-10
title=Texas A&M, Arkansas to renew football rivalry at new Cowboys stadium |publisher=Dallas Morning News] In addition, the AT&T Cotton Bowl will move its annual game to the stadium once it opens. [cite web
url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2780883 |accessdate=2008-01-15 |date=2007-02-28
title=Cotton Bowl to move to new stadium in Arlington |publisher=ESPN.com]

Originally estimated to cost $650 million, the stadium's current construction cost is in excess of $1 billion, which would make it one of the most expensive sports venues ever built. [cite web |url=http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=76D4EF83-0139-732F-270038BD0731028D
title=Cowboys Build For The Future By Honoring The Past |accessdate=2008-01-15
publisher=DallasCowboys.com |date=2006-12-12 |author=Mickey Spagnola] To aid Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones in paying the construction costs of the new stadium, Arlington voters approved the increase of the city's sales tax by one-half of a percent, the hotel occupancy tax by 2 percent, and car rental tax by 5 percent. The City of Arlington will provide $325 million in funding, and Jones will cover any cost overruns. Also, the NFL will provide the Cowboys with an additional $150 million, as per their policy for giving teams a certain lump sum of money for stadium financing. [cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2695427
title=Cowboys unveil plans for new stadium |accessdate=2008-01-15 |date=2006-12-13
publisher=ESPN.com]

Although the stadium has yet to sell naming rights, many fans have taken to referring to the project as "Jerry World" in reference to Jerry Jones. [cite web
url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=mosley_matt&id=2879314
accessdate=2008-01-15 |title=Indy, Arizona had no chance |publisher=ESPN.com
author=Matt Mosley |date=2007-05-22] There is also a petition by some fans to have the stadium named after longtime Cowboys coach Tom Landry.

A pair of nearly convert|300|ft|m|0|abbr=on-tall arches will span the length of the stadium dome, anchored to the ground at each end. The new stadium will also include a retractable roof, glass doors allowing each end zone to be opened, and a center-hung video display board. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said the screen will be the largest high-definition television screen in the world. [ [http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Jerry-Jones-aims-to-make-all-Cowboys-fans-blind?urn=nfl,87574 Jerry Jones aims to make all Cowboys' fans blind by 2010 - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports ] ] This system was implemented by mechanization consultants Uni-Systems. These Kinetic Architecture fundamentals will be employed in order to create a quick conversion of the facility to accommodate a variety of events. When the design was officially unveiled on December 12, 2006, it showed that the roof would look exactly the same as Texas Stadium's roof, with its trademark hole. However, it can be covered by the retractable roof panel to protect against the elements.

A Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame is planned for the Hall of Fame level. The drawings also include a site for a large sculpture northeast of the stadium, close to Randol Mill Road.

Excavation work at the stadium site began in May 2006 near Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Until it opens, the Cowboys will continue to play in Texas Stadium.

This stadium will host Super Bowl XLV in 2011, beating out bids from the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. [cite web
url=http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=B4F2408B-E56F-5F4B-DAB3644206D02A55
title=At Long Last, Super Bowl Coming To North Texas |date=2007-05-22
accessdate=2008-01-15 |author=Mickey Spagnola |publisher=DallasCowboys.com]

Timeline

*1994: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says he wants to expand the 65,000-seat Texas Stadium by up to 40,000 seats, add retractable roof panels and install a climate-control system to make the stadium a year-round venue for sporting events, including the Super Bowl, concerts, and conventions.

*1997 – 2000: The Cowboys hold preliminary talks with Arlington officials about building a stadium there. The team also publicly discusses a $260 million plan to upgrade Texas Stadium. In 2000, the Cowboys compile a list of potential stadium sites, which include Grapevine, Coppell and Arlington. The team continues negotiating with Irving to renovate Texas Stadium.

*2001: Jones says Arlington is a leading contender for a $500 million stadium. The primary site considered is the convert|2000|acre|km2|0|abbr=on Lakes of Arlington tract on Farm Road 157. Other cities in the running include Grapevine and Grand Prairie. In October, Jones discusses the new stadium with the mayors of Arlington, Irving, Grapevine, and Dallas.

*2003: The Cowboys ask the Irving City Council to extend their lease at Texas Stadium, which expires at the end of the 2008 season, on a year-to-year basis. They narrow their search to sites in Las Colinas and Dallas, and state legislators file bills that would allow Dallas County to increase its hotel-occupancy and car-rental taxes to pay for a new stadium.

*2004: In April, the Cowboys announce plans to build a $650 million stadium at Fair Park in Dallas. The deal requires $425 million in public financing from a 3 percent hotel-occupancy tax and a 6 percent car-rental tax. The deal falls apart in June when Dallas County commissioners say they cannot justify asking voters to approve the team's request for $425 million in public funding. In July, the Cowboys and Arlington announce they are negotiating to locate the stadium near Rangers Ballpark in Arlington (then Ameriquest Field). In August, the City Council agrees unanimously to put before voters a tax increase that would fund the city's $325 million portion of the project. Voters approve the tax increase on November 2.

*2005: Arlington and the Cowboys choose the site south of Randol Mill Road and east of Collins Street for the new stadium. The city begins notifying residents and property owners of its plans to acquire their property. The Cowboys hire the HKS architectural firm to design the stadium. Early blueprints show 414 luxury suites and a two-panel retractable roof. The city completes its sale of $297.9 million in bonds to pay for its portion of the construction. Demolition of houses begins November 1.

*January 2006: The Cowboys hire Oklahoma-based Manhattan Construction as the general contractor for the stadium and the city completes its land purchases, although it still faces a number of lawsuits over land acquisition. Also in January, Tarrant County work crews begin demolition of more than 150 Arlington residences and small business structures to make room for the stadium. [cite web |title=Demolition Started for Cowboys Stadium |url=http://www.acppubs.com/article/CA6303364.html |publisher=Associated Construction Publications]

*March 2006: Alliance announced between Manahattan Construction and two minority-owned general contractors—Rayco Construction of Grand Prairie and 3i Construction of Dallas—to manage the stadium's construction. [cite web |title=Alliance Announced |url=http://www.acppubs.com/article/CA6311619.html |publisher=Associated Construction Publications]

*April 2006: Excavation begins by Mario Sinacola and Sons Excavating. By August, they had moved over 1.4 million cubic yards of earth, shaping a 13 acre to 14 acre stadium bowl an average of convert|54|ft|m|0 deep. [cite web |title=All Up From Here |url=http://www.acppubs.com/article/CA6379243.html |publisher=Associated Construction Publications]

*August 2006: Two construction cranes are raised on the site.

*October 2006: The grass amphitheater on Randol Mill Road is leveled to make way for the extension of Baird Farm Road.

*December 2006: The stadium's structure begins to go up. Also on December 12, the Cowboys and Jerry Jones unveil in-depth plans and designs of the stadium to the public.

*January 2007: A construction worker is injured in a convert|20|ft|m|0|abbr=on fall. [cite web| title=Construction worker remains hospitalized |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/cowboysstadium/stories/013007dnmetstadium.35388655.html |publisher=the Dallas Morning News]

*February 2007: Masonry work begins.

*March 2007: Heldenfels Enterprises awarded the contract to manufacture and erect the pre-cast/pre-stressed concrete structural components and placement of them begins in April. [cite web |title=Heldenfels Awarded Contract |url=http://www.acppubs.com/article/CA6423000.html |publisher=Associated Construction Publications]

*June 2007: Work on the retractable roof, designed by Uni-Systems, starts.

*July 2007: Exterior facade and enclosure work will begin.

*October 2007: First steel arch is completed.

*February 2008: Second steel arch is completed.

Work on the parking lots will begin in March. The steel roof will be in place and completed by June. Installation of the scoreboard and sound system will begin in September. Later in the year, the seats will be installed and landscaping will begin.

*June 2008: Jones builds the largest HDTV on recordFact|date=September 2008 to hang above field.

*June 2008: An electrician is electrocuted while working on the stadium. Two days before, three people were sent to the hospital as a result of a crane collapse. [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/nfl/06/14/dallas.stadium.death.ap/index.html]

*2009: The artificial-turf field will be brought into the stadium. The stadium is scheduled to be completed in August, and the Cowboys will play their first home game there in September.

*October 3, 2009: The Texas A&M Aggies and Arkansas Razorbacks will revive their rivalry beginning with a 10-year series of games at the stadium with options for 4-year extensions thereafter, as was announced on March 10, 2008.

*January 1, 2010: The AT&T Cotton Bowl will be played at the new stadium, as was announced on February 27 2007. [cite news |url=http://www.attcottonbowl.com/news_room/releases.php?uid=166 |title=AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic Moving To Cowboys New Stadium |date=2007-02-27 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ]

*February 6, 2011: Super Bowl XLV will be played at the new stadium, as was announced on May 22, 2007. [cite news |url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10192368 |title=New stadium gets Dallas 2011 Super Bowl |publisher=NFL.com |date=2007-05-22 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ]

*2013: Notre Dame and Arizona State will play in the new $1 billion home of the Dallas Cowboys in 2013. The Fighting Irish and Sun Devils announced they'll meet Oct. 5, 2013, at the facility in Arlington, Texas. Notre Dame will be the home team for the game, which will give NBC the television rights. [cite news |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3387151 |title=Notre Dame to host Arizona State in Cowboys' new home in 2013 |publisher=ESPN.com |date=2008-05-08 |accessdate=2008-05-12 ]

Notes and references

External links

* [http://stadium.dallascowboys.com/ Official Website of the New Stadium]
* [http://www.stadiumsofnfl.com/future/CowboysStadium.htm Stadiums of the NFL]
* [http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/15237736.htm Fort Worth Star Telegram]
* [http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/in/business/sports-business/stadiums/new-cowboys-stadium/ Construction updates]
* [http://www.glorypark.com/ Website of GloryPark]
* [http://www.arlingtontx.gov/cowboys/index.html City of Arlington Cowboys Complex Project Information]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_2UOZSmSBc Video of stadium being built, by Rare Footage Films]
* [http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=pfr59m6x81bf&style=o&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=19490499&encType=1 Aerial map of stadium under construction]

succession box
title = Home of the
Dallas Cowboys
years = 2009 – future
before = Texas Stadium
after = Futuresuccession box
title = Host of the
Big 12 Championship Game
years = 2009 – 2010
before = Arrowhead Stadium
after = Futuresuccession box
title = Home of the
Cotton Bowl
years = 2010 – future
before = Cotton Bowl Stadium
after = Futuresuccession box
title = Host of the Super Bowl
years = XLV 2011
before = Dolphin Stadium
after = Lucas Oil Stadium