Will Tarrant County's "Dallas" Cowboys

PlummMeanGreen · August 11, 2004

...that is, if Arlington lands the Cowboys as some are now predicting?

eagle60 · August 11, 2004

Since I live out of the area, could you give more details about this matter? Last I heard, they were considering something up north. Thanks.

Greenblood94 · August 11, 2004

Since I live out of the area, could you give more details about this matter? Last I heard, they were considering something up north. Thanks.

'Boys closer to being Arlington's team

Team, city agree on major issues for $650 million stadium

07:04 AM CDT on Wednesday, August 11, 2004

By JEFF MOSIER / The Dallas Morning News

ARLINGTON – The Dallas Cowboys and Arlington are closer to an agreement on the financing of a $650 million football stadium that would make this city the new home of America's Team.

Both sides said Tuesday that they agreed on all major issues but would not discuss specifics.

Mayor Robert Cluck said he believes a majority of council members are willing to endorse the stadium deal, which is expected to cost Arlington $325 million, after a cost-benefit study is completed. Brett Daniels, a Cowboys spokesman, said team officials have looked over the city's offer and are mostly satisfied.

"I can't see any major hurdles," Mr. Daniels said.

Dr. Cluck said the sides spoke Monday night and Tuesday morning after the Cowboys received the city's final, non-negotiable offer. The response was positive, he said.

"We are just working out the minor details," Dr. Cluck said.

The only possible roadblock left before placing the project on the November ballot is the cost-benefit study that council members will discuss Friday. If the analysis shows that the stadium plan isn't financially responsible, then Dr. Cluck said he would vote against the project.

The City Council voted Tuesday night to pass a resolution outlining some details of the financing plan. That resolution, described as a formality, has to go to the state comptroller's office before a financing plan can be presented to voters.

That document says the city would pay for its share of the stadium with a half-cent sale tax increase, a 5 percentage-point rental car tax increase, and a 2 percentage-point hotel-tax increase. Also, a $3 tax would be added to the parking fee at the stadium, and a tax on each ticket sale of up to 10 percent would be levied.

The council is scheduled to vote on the stadium at its meeting Tuesday. After the Cowboys broke off negotiations with Dallas County in June, the team agreed to negotiate exclusively with Arlington through next week, the deadline for placing the tax increases on the November ballot.

City officials in Irving, the current home of the Cowboys, said they are interested in keeping the team and want to start negotiations if the deal with Arlington fails.

E-mail jmosier@dallasnews.com

Greenblood94 · August 11, 2004

Also, a $3 tax would be added to the parking fee at the stadium, and a tax on each ticket sale of up to 10 percent would be levied.

As if it doesn't cost enough to see the Cowboys play in person nowadays...

Coach · August 11, 2004

Yeah, I think it will be tougher for TCU to get the local attention they have been showered with the last few years. I mean, there is no bigger story than the Cowboys in the D/FW area whether they are 5-11 or winning the Super Bowl, and now they will be right in TCU's neighborhood. I don't think it will affect UTA either way because right now they don't even play football, and when they get it started up, they will have the same issues that a new program faces getting publicity with or without the Cowboys.

As for the ticket prices, unless you want to make a substantial investment, you can't go to more than one Cowboy game a year. It doesn't bother me too much because I would rather watch them on TV most of the time anyway, where it is free, and everything is getting more expensive...gas, milk, stamps, you name it.

The biggest issue with prices and sports far and away to me is the increasing difficulty school districts are having to find the money for all the sports they would like to support including football. Some schools even require "pay to play" now, which is a downright shame. This is a bad trend is a much bigger issue to me than how much a Cowboys ticket is.