Here's the Kiss of Death for Texas - OU in Dallas
Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 4:01 amfrom the Dallas Morning News:
As far as Dallas Mayor Laura Miller is concerned, the annual Texas-Oklahoma game will stay put in the Cotton Bowl, even as the schools threaten to take their football and go home-and-home.
"We can't lose this game, period," Ms. Miller said during a wide-ranging, hourlong address Friday before members of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce.
Residents "shouldn't worry about Texas-OU," she said. "That game will not be lost."
The mayor said she would support the idea of presenting Dallas voters next year with a bond proposition to pay for repairs and expansion of the 75-year-old art deco landmark in the middle of Fair Park.
Estimates of the cost for such repairs and improvements have been placed at $26 million by State Fair president Errol McKoy. But that figure is probably too conservative, though no city department has established an exact figure, City Manager Mary Suhm said Friday.
A Cotton Bowl bond vote would find itself among several other recent or upcoming bond proposals.
In May, voters approved $545 million in pension obligation bonds to bail out Dallas' foundering employee retirement system. And pending council approval Wednesday, Dallasites will vote on whether to spend $23.8 million to build a homeless assistance facility.
Texas and OU's contract with the Cotton Bowl expires in 2007, although the teams have an option to play there in 2008. If Dallas waits two years to decide whether to refurbish the stadium, "by then, it's too late," Ms. Miller said.
The mayor warned, however, that both schools must pledge to continue playing at the Cotton Bowl before the city pledges to fund its improvement.
"Nothing is going to go on a ballot unless we have commitments from the teams," Ms. Miller said.
Athletic directors from both schools said this week that they want the city to determine the Cotton Bowl's future by next year. Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said he favors playing a home-and-home series with OU if the teams decide to spike the Dallas game.
The Cotton Bowl hosts two other annual football games: Grambling-Prairie View, played during the State Fair like Texas-OU, and the SBC Cotton Bowl Classic.
Council member Bill Blaydes – who like the mayor wants the Cotton Bowl to host even more games, such as a Texas Tech-Texas A&M match-up – says the Cotton Bowl should be modernized regardless of what Texas and OU do.
"Dallas is the Cotton Bowl. Look at the history of that facility," Mr. Blaydes said. "It has to be repaired; it has to be re-created."
Ms. Miller acknowledged, however, that the annual New Year's Day football game that bears the Cotton Bowl's name might be predestined to move westward when the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium opens four years from now in Arlington.
"That's going to be a lot harder to keep them at the Cotton Bowl," Ms. Miller said.
As far as Dallas Mayor Laura Miller is concerned, the annual Texas-Oklahoma game will stay put in the Cotton Bowl, even as the schools threaten to take their football and go home-and-home.
"We can't lose this game, period," Ms. Miller said during a wide-ranging, hourlong address Friday before members of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce.
Residents "shouldn't worry about Texas-OU," she said. "That game will not be lost."
The mayor said she would support the idea of presenting Dallas voters next year with a bond proposition to pay for repairs and expansion of the 75-year-old art deco landmark in the middle of Fair Park.
Estimates of the cost for such repairs and improvements have been placed at $26 million by State Fair president Errol McKoy. But that figure is probably too conservative, though no city department has established an exact figure, City Manager Mary Suhm said Friday.
A Cotton Bowl bond vote would find itself among several other recent or upcoming bond proposals.
In May, voters approved $545 million in pension obligation bonds to bail out Dallas' foundering employee retirement system. And pending council approval Wednesday, Dallasites will vote on whether to spend $23.8 million to build a homeless assistance facility.
Texas and OU's contract with the Cotton Bowl expires in 2007, although the teams have an option to play there in 2008. If Dallas waits two years to decide whether to refurbish the stadium, "by then, it's too late," Ms. Miller said.
The mayor warned, however, that both schools must pledge to continue playing at the Cotton Bowl before the city pledges to fund its improvement.
"Nothing is going to go on a ballot unless we have commitments from the teams," Ms. Miller said.
Athletic directors from both schools said this week that they want the city to determine the Cotton Bowl's future by next year. Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said he favors playing a home-and-home series with OU if the teams decide to spike the Dallas game.
The Cotton Bowl hosts two other annual football games: Grambling-Prairie View, played during the State Fair like Texas-OU, and the SBC Cotton Bowl Classic.
Council member Bill Blaydes – who like the mayor wants the Cotton Bowl to host even more games, such as a Texas Tech-Texas A&M match-up – says the Cotton Bowl should be modernized regardless of what Texas and OU do.
"Dallas is the Cotton Bowl. Look at the history of that facility," Mr. Blaydes said. "It has to be repaired; it has to be re-created."
Ms. Miller acknowledged, however, that the annual New Year's Day football game that bears the Cotton Bowl's name might be predestined to move westward when the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium opens four years from now in Arlington.
"That's going to be a lot harder to keep them at the Cotton Bowl," Ms. Miller said.