"The House That Doak Built" Might Expand

[Cheesesteak]

Cotton Bowl proposal unveiled

12:22 PM CST on Monday, December 5, 2005
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News

Dallas' Cotton Bowl stadium would expand by more than 16,000 seats and realize a bevy of structural improvements under a renovation proposal municipal government staff plans to present to the City Council later today.

The nearly $50 million project would increase the 75-year-old facility's capacity to 92,107 seats and call for the construction of new premium seating areas, restrooms, concession stands, a scoreboard and video board and sound system, according to the 34-page proposal document.

A sale of stadium naming rights would fund most or all the first of two project phases. That initial phase is estimated to cost $19 million and be completed by late next year, according to the proposal.

The second phase would be funded through a city bond program and include the creation of new media and VIP facilities. The city would also replace Cotton Bowl's current seats, add new lighting and upgrade utilities.

An expanded upper deck wrapping around the Cotton Bowl's end zones would constitute the additional seating, the proposal indicates.

The Cotton Bowl, which this city owns, plays host to three annual college football games -- Texas-Oklahoma, Prairie View-Grambling and the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic -- as well at other sporting and entertainment events, including soccer matches and concerts. The stadium is located in Fair Park, immediately southeast of downtown.

But unless Dallas receives long-term commitments from college football teams that play annually at the stadium, "then we won't upgrade the Cotton Bowl," Mayor Laura Miller said.

Negotiations among Dallas, Texas and OU are, however, "going very well ... I'm very optimistic," Ms. Miller said. To this end, the mayor said she expects an announcement in January.

"We won't lose it. We're not going to lose it," Ms. Miller said of the Texas-Oklahoma game, played annually during the Texas State Fair.

Officials at both UT and OU have pressured the city to make improvements, and have threatened to switch the decades-old rivalry to a home-and-home series if changes are not made.

Ms. Miller previously said she hopes the city's efforts would compel Texas and Oklahoma to make a 10-year commitment to Dallas. Each time rumors have surfaced about the game moving to a home-and-home series, the city has offered financial perks and minor modifications to the Cotton Bowl, and the schools have agreed to short-term contracts.

Texas and Oklahoma are committed to play in Dallas through at least 2007. So far, the schools' athletic directors have shown little interest in long-term contracts.

Dallas Morning News reporter Colleen McCain Nelson contributed to this report.

[PonySnob]

It's hard to have much confidence in Laura Miller.....didn't she endorse the University of Dallas for the Bush Library instead of SMU?

[abezontar]

yeah, but hopefully the rest of the council won't be as petty as she is and will actually do what is right for the city/county as opposed to acting out their personal differences through the goings on in the city. I know I know, it hasn't happened before, why is it going to happen now.

[DiamondM75]

MARK MY WORDS.

I SAID IT HERE FIRST.

The annual Texas/OU game will move to "The House That Jerry Build".

[LawSchoolPony]

Is it the house Jerry built? I just thought he got Arlington to pay for it since Dallas wouldn't?

After all, you don't expect Jerry Jones, billionaire that he is, to actually pay for a stadium for his own team to play in....that would be....generous

[EastStang]

What local colleges did she have in mind as a tenant? SMU built a stadium. UNT won't travel that far. U Dallas might be available for Division II games. SMU might agree to have an annual "home" game at the Cotton Bowl, but only if the opponant is OU, LSU, UT or A&M.

[Water Pony]

The sccret sauce for a second, annual college game could be:

- SMU and A&M, which would gain an annual or semi-annual access to the Dallas market, Since OU and UT already have it, they are not a realistic option for SMU and LSU would not pull fans like A&M could

- An annual Texas Tech and A&M might be an option as well.

[JasonB]

Biggest waste of money, ever. Dallas lost out on UT-OU and bwol games when Dallas went to Arlington. It isn't worth the cost of upgrading the stadium for three games per year. The article mentions soccer, but all soccer is going to be played in Frisco, not at the cotton bowl.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

MARK MY WORDS.

I SAID IT HERE FIRST.

The annual Texas/OU game will move to "The House That Jerry Build".

I doubt it. Odds are that they will go home and home. Why move all that money that they could be making in their own backyards to arlington. With the Cotton Bowl, you could claim tradition and all the other nostalgic things that go with that weekend. I don't think you could claim the same with Jerruh's new home.

[Mexmustang]

I hope they go home and home...this is our city!

[abezontar]

plus as much as both teams are on tv it really isn't like they need the exposure in the metroplex by playing a game here

[gostangs]

That game ain't going to arlington - home and home is the other option.
Dorko Dodds is all about the bucks - so the smart money is on home and home, where it will become just another game, but a sell out for each of them anyway.

[HorsePower]

DiamondM75 is right -- this game will move to JerryWorld .... or as Galloway seems to like calling it: the Boss Hogg Bowl. It would be moronic to spend $50 million on a stadium for three games.

[abezontar]

well, I heard on the news this morning that the city council approved it so I guess we will be spending 50 million on 3 games.....they did say though that they were hoping they would get the money back through selling the naming rights....what I don't get is how far is 50 million really going to go? Will it be able to improve the stadium significantly enough to make it attractive?

[Water Pony]

Spending money on the Cotton Bowl at Fair Park is not so crazy. $50m wouldn't have satisfied Jerry, but it could contribute to a very nice venue for Dallas. If you added another annual game, ala TU-OU you get a reasonable return, plus the benefits to the fair grounds.

I expect an extension by TU and OU, plus another series, which would include the Aggies. They would then get annual access to DFW with all their alumni and fans here. Their opponent could be Texas Tech, LSU or SMU/TCU.

If the Mustangs played one game there a year with the Aggies, it would be terrific for both schools and get 75K plus. Imagine one game a year in the House that Doak built? They could rotate the Frogs and us as another option.

Forget about Jerry's place. Has no appeal for me as a traditionalist.