July 27, 2009

Cowboys Stadium Doors Open for Arlington Residents

Arlington residents wishing to see the inside of what’s become the hottest tourist attraction in the southwest will get their chance at noon on Sunday, Aug. 9. That’s when the doors of the $1.15 billion Cowboys Stadium open for Arlington residents.

“They are the ones who agreed to help finance the stadium and Open House is their opportunity to go into the stadium for free and enjoy what they have helped build,” Mayor Robert Cluck said. “Residents who haven’t had the opportunity to go inside will certainly feel the excitement. It’s a magnificent, iconic structure.”

The stadium sneak peek will go until 4 p.m. for residents with proof of an Arlington address such as a driver’s license of utility bill. Parking is free. Tours will be self-guided with access to the main concourse, exterior plazas, upper decks and the lower bowl seats near the field, said Dallas Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels.

The $40 million, state-of-the-art video board will be up and running, showing game highlights and construction photos as the facility was being built.

Even though it will be a free-flowing open house where people can roam around on their own, “We will have tour guides positioned throughout the building to answer questions and give details on what people will be seeing,” Daniels said. “It will be a great opportunity for people to see this new building that will be a centerpiece of Arlington for many years to come.”

It was Aug. 2004 when the Arlington City Council unanimously voted to place a $325 million stadium construction bond issue before Arlington voters. More than 55 percent of voters (62,901 residents) approved the proposition that would pave the way for land acquisition and construction.

The bonds are being repaid through a sales tax increase, a $3 parking tax, two-percent hotel occupancy tax increase, five-percent car rental tax and ten-percent tax on tickets to stadium events.

The stadium has already hosted music concerts and soccer games, and has become a major tourist attraction for people traveling through the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Daniels said. And the Dallas Cowboys haven’t even played there yet. The first pre-season football game is set for Friday, Aug. 21 against the Tennessee Titans.
For more tour opportunities, event schedules and tickets, visit www.Stadium.DallasCowboys.com.