AT&T Stadium

• 1. Origins And Conception

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  In 1994, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones proposed expanding the existing Texas Stadium by up to 40,000 seats. He envisioned a year-round venue featuring retractable roof panels and climate control systems for events like Super Bowls and concerts. The team held preliminary talks with Arlington officials between 1997 and 2000 regarding building a new stadium there. By 2003, the Cowboys asked the Irving City Council to extend their lease at Texas Stadium, which was set to expire after the 2008 season. In April 2004, the Cowboys announced plans to build a $650 million stadium at Fair Park in Dallas. That deal fell apart when Dallas County commissioners refused to justify asking voters for public funding. In July 2004, the Cowboys and Arlington began negotiating to locate the stadium near Globe Life Park. On the 2nd of November 2004, Arlington voters approved a tax increase to fund the city's portion of the project. In May 2005, the city chose a site south of Randol Mill Road and east of Collins Street. Demolition of houses began on the 1st of November 2005, including homes seized from residents who refused to sell.

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• 2. Architectural Engineering

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  The lead architect Bryan Trubey stated that the concept was to build almost like a civic structure rather than just a stadium. A pair of nearly 300-foot tall arches spans the length of the dome, anchored to the ground at each end. The retractable roof system was designed by structural engineering firm Walter P Moore and implemented by mechanization consultants Uni-Systems. Electrification of the roof was developed by VAHLE, Inc., allowing quick conversions to accommodate various events. The center-hung Mitsubishi video display board became the largest HDTV screen in the world upon installation. It measures 72 feet wide and 96 feet tall, though it has since been surpassed by other screens. Glass doors allow each end zone to be opened, constructed by Dallas-based Haley-Greer glass systems. The football turf field uses a special SoftTop Convertible Turf system with 26 interchangeable panels. This allows hosting everything from concerts and dirt bike races to college football and basketball games. Construction began in earnest after January 2006 when Manhattan Construction was hired as general contractor. Excavation moved over 1 million cubic yards of earth to shape a stadium bowl averaging 45 feet deep.

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• 3. Financial Controversies

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  Originally estimated at $650 million, the actual construction cost rose to $1.15 billion, making it one of the most expensive sports venues ever built. Arlington voters approved increasing the city sales tax by 0.5 percent, hotel occupancy tax by 2 percent, and car rental tax by 5 percent to help pay costs. The City of Arlington provided over $325 million including interest through bonds for funding. Jones covered any cost overruns beyond the initial budget. The NFL provided the Cowboys with an additional $150 million loan following its policy for facilitating new stadium financing. In May 2005, the city completed its sale of $297.9 million in bonds to pay for its portion of construction. Demolition included homes seized from residents who wanted to keep their property. One resident characterized the negotiation as giving him pennies and telling him to get out. By June 2008, seven construction workers were injured by ice sliding off the roof during an ice storm before Super Bowl XLV. Hours before kickoff, over 1,200 seats were blocked off due to safety concerns regarding unfinished work.

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• 4. Major Sporting Events

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  The stadium hosted Super Bowl XLV on the 6th of February 2011, where the Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31, 25. Attendance reached 103,219, falling 766 short of the record set in Super Bowl XIV. On the 4th of April 2014, the venue hosted the Final Four of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. the 12th of January 2015 saw the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship with Ohio State defeating Oregon 42, 20 before a crowd of 85,689. The first Cotton Bowl Classic played there occurred on the 2nd of January 2010, when Ole Miss defeated Oklahoma State 21, 7. That game drew attendance of 77,928, making it the third largest in preceding history. In December 2010, the Big 12 Championship Game featured Oklahoma defeating Nebraska 23, 20. The stadium also hosted multiple CONCACAF Gold Cup matches including games between Mexico and Brazil in June 2012. A boxing match between Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders on the 8th of May 2021 broke the all-time indoor attendance record for boxing events in the United States with 73,126 fans.

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• 5. Entertainment Versatility

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  The facility has hosted extensive concerts including U2's 360° Tour where the video board was raised 25 feet to make room for a massive claw-shaped stage. Taylor Swift performed three consecutive nights during her Reputation Stadium Tour in October 2018, drawing over 105,000 attendees per show. Garth Brooks held his final concert at the venue on the 11th of May 2014 before an audience of 104,793. WWE WrestleMania 32 took place on the 3rd of April 2016 with 101,763 people attending, breaking the previous WrestleMania record. Two days later, WrestleMania 38 drew 131,372 spectators across both nights. Professional wrestling events like the Dickies Iron Cowboy Invitational have been held annually since February 2010. The stadium also hosts Monster Jam truck rallies starting from the 27th of February 2010. In March 2014, the inaugural American Rodeo took place there. The venue has hosted thousands of Spartans for Reebok's Spartan Race and major religious gatherings like the International Assembly of Jehovah's Witnesses.

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• 6. Design Flaws And Criticism

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  The unorthodox size and positioning of video boards above the field caused controversy due to interference with punts. During the first preseason game on the 21st of August 2009, a punt by Tennessee Titans player A.J. Trapasso hit the scoreboard. Jerry Jones remarked that Trapasso seemed to be trying to hit the board intentionally. Physicist Christopher Moore showed via computer simulation that well-kicked punts could potentially hit the screen regardless of field position. On the 24th of August 2013, Cowboys punter Chris Jones became the second player to hit the scoreboard during a game against Cincinnati. The stadium features large glass windows behind both end zones despite being domed. The field was constructed on an east-west orientation which creates sunlight glare issues during late afternoon games. Wide receivers have complained about being unable to see balls thrown to them due to glare shining through west end zone windows. In a 2024 game against Philadelphia Eagles, CeeDee Lamb missed a potential touchdown throw because he couldn't see the ball. Jerry Jones rejected using existing curtains to block sunlight, stating everyone has the same issue when playing there.

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