Texas Stadiumwas anAmerican footballstadiumlocated inIrving, Texas,a suburb west ofDallas.Opened on October 24,1971,[2]it was known for its distinctive hole in the roof, the result of abandoned plans to construct aretractable roof.
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 Texas Stadium in November 2008 | |
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| Location | 2401 East Airport Freeway Irving, Texas,U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°50′23″N96°54′39″W/ 32.83972°N 96.91083°W |
| Owner | City of Irving |
| Operator | Texas Stadium Corp[1] |
| Capacity | 65,675 |
| Surface | Artificial turf - Texas Turf (1971–1995) -AstroTurf(1996–2002) - RealGrass (2002–2008) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | January 26, 1969[1] |
| Opened | October 24,1971[2][3] |
| Closed | December 20,2008 |
| Demolished | April 11, 2010 |
| Construction cost | US$35 million ($263 million in 2023 dollars[4]) |
| Architect | A. Warren Morey |
| General contractor | JW Bateson Co., Inc. |
| Tenants | |
| Dallas Cowboys(NFL) (1971–2008) Dallas Tornado(NASL) (1972–1975, 1980–1981) SMU Mustangs(NCAA) (1979–1986) | |
The stadium was the home field of theNFL'sDallas Cowboysfor 38 seasons, through2008,and had aseating capacityof 65,675. In2009,the Cowboys moved to Cowboys Stadium (nowAT&T Stadium) in nearbyArlington.[5]
Texas Stadium was demolished on April 11, 2010, by acontrolled implosion.[6][7]
History
edit
The Cowboys had played at theCotton Bowlin Dallas since their inception in1960.However, by the mid-1960s, founding ownerClint Murchison, Jr.,felt that theFair Parkarea of the city had become unsafe and downtrodden, and did not want his season ticket holders to be forced to go through it.[8]Murchison was denied a request by mayorErik Jonssonto build a new stadium in downtown Dallas as part of amunicipal bondpackage.[9]
Murchison envisioned a new stadium withsky boxesand one in which attendees would have to pay apersonal seat licenseas a prerequisite to purchasing season tickets.[10]With two games left for the Cowboys to play in the1967season, Murchison and Cowboys general managerTex Schrammannounced a plan to build a new stadium in the northwest suburb of Irving.[10]
Texas Stadium, along withSchaefer Stadium(1971),Arrowhead Stadium(1972),Rich Stadium(1973),and thePontiac Silverdome(1975),was part of a new wave of football-only stadiums (all withartificial turf) built following theAFL–NFL merger.More so than its contemporaries, Texas Stadium featured a proliferation of luxury boxes, which provided the team with a large new income source exempt from league revenue sharing.[11]
It hosted its first Cowboys game on October 24, 1971, a 44–21 victory over theNew England Patriots,[2][3]and became an icon of the Cowboys with their rise in national prominence. The Cowboys entered the season asdefending NFC championsand won their first world title inSuper Bowl VIin January 1972. The field was surrounded by a blue wall emblazoned with white stars, a design replicated in its successor, Cowboys Stadium.
Texas Stadium's field alignment (between the goal posts) was southwest-to-northeast, perpendicular to the Cotton Bowl, which is southeast-to-northwest.
Roof
editThe most distinctive element of Texas Stadium was its partial roof, the only one in the NFL. The roof was originally supposed to be the firstretractable roofin the NFL. However, it was discovered that the structure could not support the additional weight. This resulted in a partial roof that covered most of the stands but not the playing field itself. Cowboys linebackerD. D. Lewisonce famously said that "Texas Stadium has a hole in its roof, soGodcan watch His favorite team play ".
The open roof allowed snow to cover the field in theThanksgiving Day gameagainst theMiami Dolphinsin1993.The unusual roof also introduced a unique difficulty in televising games, as sunlight would cover part of the field and make it hard for TV cameras to adjust for the changes in light.[12]
The roof was repainted in the summer of 2006 by the city of Irving, the stadium's owners. It was the first time the roof had been repainted since Texas Stadium opened.
Other events
editFootball
Texas Stadium hosted fiveNFC Championship Games.The1973 Pro Bowlwas held at Texas Stadium in front of 47,879 spectators.
The first football game played at Texas Stadium was on October 15, 1971, whenTexas SoutherndefeatedBishop34–21 in acollege footballgame.[13]The stadium hosted numerous neutral-site college football games and was the home field of theSMU Mustangsfor eight seasons, from 1979 through 1986. After the school returned from an NCAA-imposed suspension in 1988, school officials moved games back to the school's on-campusOwnby Stadiumto signify a clean start for the football program (since replaced byGerald J. Ford Stadiumin 2000). The2001 Big 12 Championship Gamewas held at the site.
In November and December, Texas Stadium was a major venue for high school football. It was not uncommon for there to be high school football tripleheaders at the stadium. Texas Stadium served as a temporary home for two Dallas-area high schools,Plano Senior High Schoolin 1979 after its home stadium was damaged by a prank gone awry[citation needed],andHighland Park High Schoolwhile a new stadium on campus was being built.[citation needed]
The stadium has also played host to the two largest capacity crowds for Texas high school football playoff games. In 1977, Plano defeated Port Neches-Groves 13-10 in front of a record crowd of 49,953. In 2006, the matchup between Trinity High School fromEuless,andCarroll Senior High SchoolfromSouthlake,in the second round of the playoffs, ended in a 22-21 Southlake victory (on their way to a fourth 5A state championship in five years) before an announced crowd of 46,339 at Texas Stadium. These games marked two of the top three all-time attendance figures for a Texas high school football game and the stadium recorded three of the top 20 attendance records.[14]
In 1988, Texas Stadium hosted the Class 5A championship game, whereDallas Carter,led by futureNew York GiantsPro BowllinebackerJessie Armstead,defeatedConverse Judson31-14. TheUniversity Interscholastic Leaguelater stripped Carter of its title due to numerous rule violations. Carter advanced to the final by defeatingOdessa Permian14-9 in the semifinals atMemorial StadiuminAustinin a game highlighted by the bookFriday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dreamand itsfilm adaptation.
In 1994, the stadium hosted theJohn Tyler vs. Plano East high school football regional playoff,whose wild seesaw finish won it the 1995 Showstopper of the YearESPY Award.
Soccer
In addition to American football, theDallas Tornadoof theNASLused it as their home stadium from 1972 to 1975 and again from 1980 to 1981 when the team folded.
On November 21, 1991, theU.S. Men's National soccer Teamplayed a friendly match against Costa Rica.[15]
| Date | Competition | Team 1 | Team 2 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 21, 1991 | Friendly | United States | Costa Rica | 1-1 |
Supercross
Texas Stadium hosted a round of theAMA Supercross Championshipfrom 1975 to 1977 and 1983 to 2008.[16]
Bull Riding
TheProfessional Bull Riders (PBR)held a Bud Light Cup event at Texas Stadium known as the "Battle of the Bulls"[17]during the organization's first two years of existence (1994 & 1995). In both instances, the event was won by three-time PBR world champion Adriano Morães (in 1994 he was the co-champion along with Pat Yancey). The 1995 event was also notable because of rain which turned the dirt into mud, affecting the performance of several bulls.
Lacrosse
On May 25, 2008, Texas Stadium hosted the first ever professional lacrosse game in Texas when the two-time defendingMajor League LacrossechampionsPhiladelphia Barrageplayed theLong Island Lizards.[18]The Barrage disbandedafter the 2008 seasonwhile the re-named New York Lizards remained as a member of MLL's Eastern Conference until 2020 when the MLLmergedwith thePremier Lacrosse League.[19][20]
Professional Wrestling
From 1984 to 1988, the stadium hosted the annualWorld Class Championship Wrestling(WCCW) David Von Erich "MemorialParade of Champions"professional wrestling card every May. The initial 1984 card drew more than 40,000 fans, the highest attendance of any wrestling card in the state of Texas at that time.
Religious Gatherings
The stadium hosted religious gatherings such as Promise Keepers and Billy Graham crusades; a Graham crusade was the first event held at Texas Stadium.
From October 17 to October 20, 2002, evangelistBilly Grahamheld the Metroplex Mission crusade in Texas Stadium. Several Christian musical groups also played during the event. Former presidentGeorge H. W. Bushgave an introduction for Graham on the first night of the crusade.
Concerts
edit| Date | Artist | Opening act(s) | Tour / Concert name | Attendance | Revenue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 31, 1974 | Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young | The Beach Boys | CSNY 1974 | 60,000 | — | |
| July 13, 1984 | The Jacksons | — | Victory Tour | 120,000 | $3,564,090 | |
| July 14, 1984 | ||||||
| July 15, 1984 | ||||||
| July 26, 1987 | Madonna | Level 42 | Who's That Girl World Tour | 40,601 / 41,000 | $812,020 | |
| September 17, 1988 | INXS | — | Calling All Nations World Tour | |||
| October 14, 1988 | George Michael | — | Faith World Tour | 38,564 / 41,000 | $846,923 | |
| April 7, 1990 | Paul McCartney | — | World Tour | 57,337 / 57,337 | $1,863,453 | |
| March 14, 1992 | Willie Nelson Neil Young John Mellencampand many others |
— | Farm AidVI | — | — | |
| May 7-8, 1992 | Genesis | — | We Can't Dance Tour | — | — | This was the opening show to the tour. |
| June 13, 1992 | The Cure | Curve Cranes |
The Wish Tour | — | — | |
| September 5, 1992 | Guns N' Roses Metallica |
Faith No More | Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour | 44,391 / 44,391 | $1,220,753 | Faith No More lead guitaristJim Martinjoined Metallica onstage for their cover of theMisfitssong "Last Caress". |
| September 24, 1993 | Garth Brooks | — | The Garth Brooks World Tour | — | — | The first show was recorded and broadcast onNBC,titledThis is Garth Brooks, Too!(a follow-up to Brooks' 1992 televised concert).[21]It was later included in Brooks'The EntertainerDVD collection, released in 2006. |
| September 25, 1993 | ||||||
| October 22, 1994 | Carman | — | — | 71,132 | — | [22][23] |
| August 14, 1999 | *NSYNC | Jordan Knight
5ive |
Boys of Summer Tour | |||
| November 14, 1999 | Shania Twain | — | Come On Over Tour | 40,000 | — | This concert was filmed for aCBSTV special which aired on Thanksgiving night.[24] |
| July 9, 2000 | Metallica | Korn Kid Rock Powerman 5000 System of a Down |
Summer Sanitarium Tour | — | — | Metallica lead singerJames Hetfieldwas unable to attend the concert as he hurt his back during a jet skiing accident while in Georgia before the Atlanta show. Metallica bassistJason Newsted,along with other lead singers from the other bands on hand, sang most of the songs. Metallica did return in August to perform two make-up shows at the Starplex in Dallas a month later.[25] |
| July 15, 2001 | Dave Matthews Band | Angelique Kidjo Wyclef Jean |
2001 Summer Tour | — | — | |
| August 3, 2003 | Metallica | Linkin Park Limp Bizkit Deftones Mudvayne |
Summer Sanitarium Tour | — | — |
In television
editThe stadium appeared in numerous episodes of the television series,Walker, Texas Ranger(1993–2001), which was filmed in theDallas–Fort Worth metroplex.
The stadium appeared in the 1999 movieAny Given Sundaybeing the home of the "Dallas Knights" in the film.
The stadium has also appeared in the season one finale ofFriday Night LightsAs a setting for the State Championship game between the Dillon Panthers and the West Cambria Mustangs.
Throughout the network run of the television seriesDallas,a number of scenes were filmed on location at Texas Stadium. An overhead shot of the stadium (looking down at the field from the hole in the roof) was also featured prominently as part of the show's opening credits for each of its thirteen seasons onCBS.This trend has continued with thenewseries withAT&T Stadiumtaking its place.
Seating capacity
edit| Years | Capacity |
|---|---|
| 1971–1972 | 65,000[26] |
| 1973 | 65,111[27] |
| 1974–1984 | 65,101[28] |
| 1985–1988 | 63,855[29] |
| 1989–1994 | 65,024[30] |
| 1995–1996 | 65,812[31] |
| 1997–2000 | 65,675[32] |
| 2001–2002 | 65,639[33] |
| 2003–2008 | 65,529[34] |
The Cowboys' departure
edit
When opened, the stadium had many amenities that included 381 luxury suites, a stadium club where fans gathered for parties and banquets, and The Corral that provided food, beverages, entertainment and large screen televisions. However, by the 2000s other NFL teams received new stadiums that had more club and luxury seating than Texas Stadium had, so the Dallas Cowboys asked for a new stadium.[1][35][36]
The Cowboys left Texas Stadium after the 2008 NFL season for Cowboys Stadium (opened for the 2009 NFL season) that was partially funded by taxpayers inArlington.In November 2004, Arlington voters approved a half-cent (.005 per U.S. dollar) sales tax to fund $325 million of the then estimated $650 million stadium by a margin of 55%-45%.Jerry Jones,the Cowboys' owner, spent over $5 million backing the ballot measure, but also agreed to cover any cost overruns which as of 2006 had already raised the estimated cost of the project to $1 billion.
AT&T Stadium, which has a retractable roof system, also includes a setting that mimics a hole in the roof as a tribute to Texas Stadium.[37][38]
The Cowboys lost their final game at Texas Stadium to theBaltimore Ravens,33–24, on December 20, 2008.[39]
Closure
editThe stadium was scheduled fordemolitionandimplosionon April 11, 2010, as confirmed by the mayor ofIrvingon September 23, 2009.[40]
Many of the items in the stadium were auctioned off by the city and the Dallas Cowboys including the stadium seats, scoreboard and other pieces of memorabilia.
The City of Irving announced that theTexas Department of Transportationwould pay $15.4 million to lease the site for 10 years for use as a staging location for theState Highway 114/Loop 12diamond interchange.The city has the right to relocate the staging area ifredevelopmentbecomes available.[41]
Demolition
edit
byWFAA-TV in April 2010
On September 23, 2009, the City ofIrvinggranted a demolition contract to Weir Brothers Inc., a localDallasbased company, for thedemolitionandimplosionof the stadium.[42][43][44]
On December 31, 2009, The City of Irving andKraft Foodsannounced details of their sponsorship deal for the stadium's implosion — including a national essay contest with the winner getting to pull the trigger that finishes off the stadium.[45]Kraft paid the city $75,000 and donated $75,000 worth of food to local food banks to promote its "Cheddar Explosion" version ofKraft Macaroni & Cheese.[46]The city council unanimously approved the sponsorship deal.
At 7:07 a.m.CDTon April 11, 2010, 11-year-old Casey Rogers turned the key to cause the demolition.[6]From the first explosion, it took approximately 25 seconds for the stadium to completely fall. Debris removal continued until July 2010. Texas's Department of Transportation is using the site as an equipment storage and staging area, after which Irving will decide long-term plans.[47]
In 2013–15, the area around the former stadium has been the epicenter for at least 46 small earthquakes, ranging in magnitude from 1.6 to 3.6.[48][49]
References
edit- ^abc"Texas Stadium".Stadiums of Pro Football.
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- ^ab"Cowboys run over Patriots".Milwaukee Sentinel.UPI. October 25, 1971. p. 3, part 2.[permanent dead link]
- ^1634–1699:McCusker, J. J.(1997).How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda(PDF).American Antiquarian Society.1700–1799:McCusker, J. J.(1992).How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States(PDF).American Antiquarian Society.1800–present:Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis."Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–".RetrievedFebruary 29,2024.
- ^Bell, Jarrett (September 18, 2009)."'This transcends football': 'Boys boast as new stadium shines ".USA Today.
- ^ab"Texas Stadium leveled in successful implosion".ESPN.Associated Press. April 11, 2010.
- ^"Blowing up God's Peephole: The 10-yr anniversary of Texas Stadium's demise".Cowboys Wire.April 11, 2020.RetrievedApril 14,2023.
- ^Shropshire, 1997 pg. 138-139
- ^Shropshire, 1997 pg. 139
- ^abShropshire, 1997 pg. 139-140
- ^Dhingra, Karn (September 2, 2019)."Game-changing stadiums".sportsbusinessjournal.RetrievedNovember 14,2023.
- ^Shropshire, 1997 pg. 140
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- ^"State's single-game attendance record in jeopardy this weekend".Dallas Morning News.December 15, 2011.RetrievedNovember 28,2019.
- ^"USA Men's Soccer NAT Team vs Costa Rica at Texas Stadium nov 1991 Ist Half Highlights.mpg".Youtube.November 20, 2010.Archivedfrom the original on November 18, 2021.RetrievedNovember 28,2019.
- ^"Historical Dates of Motocross at Texas Stadium".The Vault.RetrievedNovember 28,2019.
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- ^"MLL MAKES TEXAS DEBUT".Yardbarker (Lacrosse News Archives).April 25, 2008.RetrievedNovember 28,2019.
- ^"2019 MLL Standings".Major League Lacrosse.Archived fromthe originalon January 1, 2020.RetrievedJanuary 1,2020.
- ^Turner, Nick (December 16, 2020)."Premier Lacrosse League Merging With Rival in Bid to Unify Sport".Bloomberg News.RetrievedDecember 16,2020.
- ^Sandler, Adam (May 6, 1994)."Review: 'This Is Garth Brooks, Too!'".Variety.RetrievedMarch 10,2016.
- ^Alfonso, Barry (2002).The Billboard guide to Contemporary Christian Music.New York:Billboard Books.p. 134.ISBN978-0-8230-7718-2.
- ^Ankeny, Jason."Carman – Biography".Allmusic(Macrovision Corporation).RetrievedDecember 9,2009.
- ^Evans, Rob (October 11, 1999)."Shania Twain Adds Cities To Her East Coast Tour".LiveDaily.Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc.Archived fromthe originalon August 30, 2003.RetrievedMarch 24,2011.
- ^Basham, David (July 10, 2000)."UPDATE: Metallica Frontman Forced to Sit Out Shows".MTV.MTV Networks. Archived fromthe originalon April 18, 2001.RetrievedFebruary 7,2009.
- ^"Cowboys, 49ers in Collision".Daytona Beach Morning Journal.January 1, 1972.
- ^"1973 Dallas Cowboys Media Guide".Dallas Cowboys.RetrievedJune 4,2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^"SMU-Arkansas Game a Sellout".Associated Press.November 15, 1982.
- ^"Cowboys Buying Ads to Sell More Tickets".The Victoria Advocate.June 27, 1988.
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- ^"City Officials Vow to Bring Super Bowl to Irving, Texas".Kingman Daily Miner.February 8, 1996.
- ^"Sports Line".The Bonham Daily Favorite.June 23, 1999.
- ^"2001 Dallas Cowboys Media Guide".Dallas Cowboys. 2001. Archived fromthe originalon June 12, 2018.RetrievedJune 8,2018.
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- ^McGeady, Andy (May 24, 2016)."The great American stadium: High cost, short lifespan".The Irish Times.
- ^Smith, Brian T. (February 11, 2017)."Facing the reality of NRG Stadium upgrades".Houston Chronicle.
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- ^"Jerrydome or Jerry Dome (Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington)".Barry Popik.August 22, 2009.
- ^Aron, Jaime; Press, The Associated (December 21, 2008)."Ravens beat Cowboys 33-24 in Texas Stadium finale".San Diego Union-Tribune.RetrievedNovember 14,2023.
- ^"Texas Stadium decision due…".Demolition News.September 24, 2009.RetrievedDecember 29,2019.
Irving Mayor Herb Gears says it's a bittersweet feeling sad...
- ^"Texas Stadium Transition Under Way"(Press release). City ofIrving, Texas.February 16, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon May 28, 2010.RetrievedApril 11,2010.
- ^"Plans for the Demolition of Texas Stadium Move Forward after City Council Approves Resolution".Irving Weekly.March 28, 2009.
- ^"Texas Stadium Demolition Set".Irving Weekly.October 5, 2009.
- ^Gormley, Jay (September 24, 2009)."Irving Exploring Auction To Implode Texas Stadium".CBS 11 News.Archived fromthe originalon January 2, 2010.
- ^"Texas Stadium Demolition"(Video).YouTube.April 11, 2010.Archivedfrom the original on November 18, 2021.
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the Texas Department of Transportation is renting the site as a staging area for its Diamond Interchange project
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Sources
edit- Shropshire, Mike. (1997).The Ice Bowl.New York: Donald I. Fine Books.ISBN1-55611-532-6
- Murchison, Burk & Granberry, Michael. (2022).Hole in the Roof: The Dallas Cowboys, Clint Murchison Jr., and the Stadium That Changed American Sports Forever.College Station: Texas A&M University Press. ISBN 978-1-64843-096-1
External links
edit
- Sarnoff, Nancy. "In Irving, stadium implosion=development opportunity."Houston Chronicle.April 19, 2010.
- crossroadsdfwshows potential redevelopment plans for the stadium after the Cowboys leave.