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Stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
AT&T Stadium is a retractable roof stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States. It serves as the home of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL), and was completed on May 27, 2009. It is also the home of the Cotton Bowl Classic, the Big 12 Championship Game, and the Southwest Classic. The stadium is one of 11 US venues set to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The facility, owned by the City of Arlington, has also been used for a variety of other activities, such as concerts, basketball games, soccer, college and high-school football contests, rodeos, motocross, Spartan Races and professional wrestling. It replaced the partially covered Texas Stadium, which served as the Cowboys' home from 1971 through the 2008 season.
Location in Texas Location in the United States | |
Former names | Cowboys Stadium (2009–2013) |
---|---|
Address | 1 AT&T Way[1] |
Location | Arlington, Texas, United States |
Coordinates | 32°44′52″N 97°5′34″W |
Operator | Dallas Cowboys |
Executive suites | 342[2] |
Capacity | 80,000[3] (expandable to over 100,000 with standing room) |
Record attendance | List
|
Surface | Hellas Matrix Turf with Helix Soft Top artificial turf[6] |
Construction | |
Broke ground | September 20, 2005 |
Built | 2006–2009 |
Opened | May 27, 2009[7] |
Construction cost | $1.3 billion[8] ($1.85 billion in 2023 dollars[9]) |
Architect | HKS, Inc.[10] |
Project manager | Blue Star Development/Jack Hill[11] |
Structural engineer | Walter P Moore Engineers and Consultants Campbell & Associates Consulting Engineers, Inc.[12] |
Services engineer | M-E Engineers, Inc.[13] |
General contractor | Manhattan/Rayco/3i |
Tenants | |
Dallas Cowboys (NFL) 2009–present Cotton Bowl Classic (NCAA) 2010–present | |
Website | |
attstadium.com |
The stadium is widely referred to as Jerry World and The Death Star after Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who originally envisioned it as a large entertainment venue.[14] The stadium seats 80,000 people, but can be reconfigured to hold over 100,000 people by the use of standing room,[3] making it the largest stadium in the NFL by seating capacity.[15] Additional attendance is made possible by the Party Pass (open areas) sections behind the seats in each end zone that are positioned on a series of six elevated platforms connected by stairways.[15][16] The record attendance for an NFL regular season game was set in 2009 with a crowd of 105,121.[17] It also has twin video boards that are among the largest high-definition video screens in the world.
Originally estimated at $650 million, the stadium's actual construction cost rose to $1.15 billion,[18] making it one of the most expensive sports venues ever built. To aid Cowboys owner and general manager, Jerry Jones, in paying the construction costs of the new stadium, Arlington voters approved the increase of the city's sales tax by 0.5%, the hotel occupancy tax by 2%, and car rental tax by 5%. The City of Arlington provided over $325 million (including interest) in bonds as funding,[18][19] and Jones covered any cost overruns. Also, the NFL provided the Cowboys with an additional $150 million loan, following its policy for facilitating financing for the construction of new stadiums.[20]
The lead architect on the design team at HKS Architects for the project was Bryan Trubey, who has stated that the overarching concept for the stadium was "...that this should not be just a stadium, but should almost be built like a civic structure."[21][22]
A pair of nearly 300 ft (91 m)-tall arches spans the length of the stadium dome (one of the tallest domes in the world), anchored to the ground at each end. The new stadium also includes "more than 3,000 Sony LCD displays throughout the luxury suites, concourses, concession areas and more, offering fans viewing options that extend beyond the action on the field".[23] It also houses a center-hung Mitsubishi video display board that was the largest HDTV screen in the world at the time of their installation.[24] It has since been surpassed in size by the Panasonic "Big Hoss" video board (218 feet (66 m) wide and 94.6 feet (28.8 m) tall) at Texas Motor Speedway.[25] Glass doors, allowing each end zone to be opened, were designed and constructed by Dallas-based Haley-Greer glass systems.
The retractable roof was designed by structural engineering firm Walter P Moore and the systems were implemented by mechanization consultants Uni-Systems. The electrification of Cowboys Stadium's retractable roof was developed by VAHLE, Inc.[26] These kinetic architecture fundamentals are employed to create quick conversions of the facility to accommodate a variety of events. When the design was officially unveiled on December 12, 2006, it showed that from inside the stadium, the roof (membrane installed by K Post Company of Dallas)[27] will look very similar to the Texas Stadium roof, with its trademark hole. However, it can be covered by the retractable roof panel to protect against the elements.
The football turf field was built by Hellas Construction, which developed a special SoftTop Convertible Turf system that has 26 interchangeable panels to allow the stadium to host a variety of events from concerts, dirt bike races, and monster truck rallies to college football, basketball, and soccer games.[28]
Although the stadium had yet to sell naming rights, many fans started referring to the project with various nicknames such as "Jerry World",[36][46][47] the "Death Star",[48] "The Palace in Dallas" (for which announcer Bob Costas was criticized by the Arlington mayor[49]), "Cowboys Cathedral",[50] "Jerrassic Park" and others.[51] There was also a petition by some fans to have the stadium named after longtime Cowboys' coach Tom Landry.
On May 13, 2009, Jerry Jones announced the official name as Cowboys Stadium.[36]
On July 25, 2013, Jerry Jones announced that the Dallas Cowboys had agreed to grant naming rights to AT&T. The name change from Cowboys Stadium to AT&T Stadium took effect immediately.[52] The sponsorship deal was reported to be worth about $17–19 million per year.[53] Facility Solutions Group installed the "AT&T Stadium" letters on the top of the stadium. Signage includes two sets of letters 43 feet (13 m) tall stretching 385 feet (117 m). The letters are made of lightweight components and aluminum and are insulated and heated to melt ice and snow.[54]
This is one of two major sports venues where AT&T holds the naming rights, the other being Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas.
Guinness World Records was on hand at the September 28, 2009, game against the Carolina Panthers to award certificates to the chairman of Mitsubishi Electric and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones for the world's largest HD video display.[24] For basketball events played the stadium, such as the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, the 175 feet (58 yd) twin video screens that comprise the length of the scoreboard are actually larger than the court.[citation needed] The video boards have since been surpassed in size, including at several other NFL stadiums, but remain among the largest in the world.
On February 14, 2010, the stadium hosted the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. With an announced crowd of 108,713, the game became the highest-attended basketball game in history, setting a new Guinness World Record. The East squad prevailed with a 141–139 victory over the West.[55]
AT&T Stadium was the site of the 2009 and 2010 Big 12 Championship Games, the last two held prior to the 2010–13 Big 12 Conference realignment. On December 5, 2009, the Texas Longhorns defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers 13–12 in the 2009 Big 12 Championship Game, the first to be held in the stadium with attendance announced at 76,211.[61] The following year, on December 4, 2010, the Oklahoma Sooners and Nebraska Cornhuskers rekindled their rivalry as the Sooners won 23–20 in the final Big 12 Championship game until the 2017 season. The stadium was scheduled to host the games through the 2013 season, but the realignment of the Big 12 Conference to 10 teams meant they were not allowed to host a championship game because of NCAA rules requiring conferences to have at least 12 teams divided into two divisions in order to stage a championship game.[62][63] However, the NCAA would later change its rules and allow a conference championship game regardless of the number of members of said conference.
The Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Texas A&M Aggies football rivalry, which began in 1903, was renewed in 2009 as the Southwest Classic, and was played at Cowboys Stadium from 2009 through 2011. In 2012, Texas A&M joined Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference, and the series reverted to the schools' home fields, Kyle Field in College Station, Texas for the 2012 game and Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2013. The Southwest Classic returned to AT&T Stadium in 2014 and will remain there through at least 2024.
The 2020 game was moved from Arlington to College Station due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2009, the Big 12 Conference game between the Baylor Bears and Texas Tech Red Raiders was held at Cowboys Stadium, the first time in the series the match-up was held on a neutral site. The game was the highest attended in the series' history, with 71,964 in attendance.[71]
After the 2010 game was held at the Cotton Bowl in Fair Park, Dallas during the State Fair of Texas, the series returned to AT&T Stadium for the 2011 and 2012 games. The series' neutral site contract at AT&T Stadium could continue until 2014.[72]
AT&T Stadium will host multiple matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be organized and hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico. It is also one of two venues in Texas which have been selected to host matches, the other being NRG Stadium in Houston. The stadium will undergo renovations in the years prior to the start of the tournament.[77] The stadium will temporarily change its name to "Dallas Stadium" in accordance with FIFA's policy on corporate sponsored names.[78] The stadium will host nine matches, the most of any venue in the tournament. The matches include five group stage matches, two Round of 32 matches, one Round of 16 match, and one semifinal match.[79]
Date | Time (UTC−5) | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
June 13, 2026 | --:-- | TBD | – | TBD | Group F | |
June 14, 2026 | --:-- | TBD | – | TBD | Group J | |
June 17, 2026 | --:-- | TBD | – | TBD | Group L | |
June 22, 2026 | --:-- | TBD | – | TBD | Group F | |
June 25, 2026 | --:-- | TBD | – | TBD | Group J | |
June 30, 2026 | --:-- | Runner-up Group E | – | Runner-up Group I | Round of 32 | |
July 3, 2026 | --:-- | Runner-up Group D | – | Runner-up Group G | Round of 32 | |
July 6, 2026 | --:-- | Winner Match 83 | – | Winner Match 84 | Round of 16 | |
July 14, 2026 | --:-- | Winner Match 97 | – | Winner Match 98 | Semi-final |
The stadium has hosted multiple world championship boxing fights since its opening, as the large capacity and retractable roof make it an ideal venue for boxing events throughout the year. Many of the sport's biggest stars including Manny Pacquiao and Canelo Álvarez have headlined championship bouts there.
AT&T Stadium hosted WWE's WrestleMania 32 on April 3, 2016. It was the third WrestleMania to be hosted in Texas. The area also hosted activities throughout the region for the week-long celebration leading up to WrestleMania itself. 101,763 people attended the event breaking the previous WrestleMania attendance record set at WrestleMania III.[86]
On April 2 and 3, 2022, the stadium hosted WrestleMania 38. 131,372 people attended the two night event.[87]
AT&T Stadium has hosted a round of the AMA Supercross Championship since 2010, replacing Texas Stadium, which had been host since 1975.[88]
Date | Artist | Opening act(s) | Tour / Concert name | Attendance | Revenue | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | ||||||
June 6, 2009 | George Strait | Reba McEntire Blake Shelton Lee Ann Womack |
[89] | 60,188 / 60,188[90] | $5,340,005 | Very first concert at the stadium Stadium project was not finished yet |
June 20, 2009 | Jonas Brothers | Honor Society Jessie James Jordin Sparks Wonder Girls |
Jonas Brothers World Tour 2009 | — | — | Stadium project was not finished yet |
August 19, 2009 | Paul McCartney | — | Summer Live '09 | 35,903 / 35,903 | $5,054,620 | Stadium project complete |
October 12, 2009 | U2 | Muse | U2 360° Tour | 70,766 / 70,766 | $6,664,880 | To make room for the large claw-shaped stage, the video board was raised 25 feet (7.6 m) and was not used during the concert[91] |
2011 | ||||||
April 16, 2011 | Kenny Chesney | Zac Brown Band Billy Currington Uncle Kracker |
Goin' Coastal Tour | 46,551 / 47,256 | $4,173,338 | |
October 8, 2011 | Taylor Swift | Needtobreathe Charlie Worsham |
Speak Now World Tour | 55,451 / 55,451 | $4,337,062 | B.o.B was the special guest. |
2012 | ||||||
June 9, 2012 | Kenny Chesney Tim McGraw |
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals Jake Owen |
Brothers of the Sun Tour | 47,269 / 50,425 | $4,421,768 | |
2013 | ||||||
May 11, 2013 | Kenny Chesney Eric Church |
Eli Young Band Kacey Musgraves |
No Shoes Nation Tour | 47,269 / 50,425 | $4,421,768 | |
May 25, 2013 | Taylor Swift | Ed Sheeran Austin Mahone Florida Georgia Line |
The Red Tour | 53,020 / 53,020 | $4,589,266 | |
2014 | ||||||
June 7, 2014 | George Strait | Martina McBride | The Cowboy Rides Away Tour | 104,793 / 104,793 | $18,194,374 | Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Ronnie Dunn, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Lee Ann Womack, and Asleep at the Wheel joined Strait for his "last show ever" |
May 25, 2014 | Beyoncé Jay-Z |
— | On the Run Tour | 41,463 / 41,463 | $5,050,479 | |
August 24, 2014 | One Direction | Jamie Scott | Where We Are Tour | 51,074 / 51,074 | $4,517,012 | |
2015 | ||||||
April 19, 2015 | — | — | 50th Academy of Country Music Awards | 70,252 | — | |
June 6, 2015 | The Rolling Stones | — | Zip Code Tour | 47,535 / 47,535 | $9,294,552 | |
October 17, 2015 | Taylor Swift | Vance Joy Shawn Mendes |
The 1989 World Tour | 62,630 / 62,630 | $7,396,733 | Ellie Goulding was a special guest. They performed Goulding's 2015 hit Love Me Like You Do. |
2016 | ||||||
May 9, 2016 | Beyoncé | DJ Khaled | The Formation World Tour | 42,235 / 42,235 | $5,954,775 | [92] |
August 3, 2016 | Guns N' Roses | The Cult | Not in This Lifetime... Tour | 39,015 / 43,449 | $4,786,948 | |
August 27, 2016 | Coldplay | Alessia Cara Bishop Briggs |
A Head Full of Dreams Tour | 52,538 / 52,538 | $5,679,031 | |
October 22, 2016 | Luke Bryan | Chris Stapleton Little Big Town Dustin Lynch |
Kill the Lights Tour | 41,638 / 45,000 | $3,613,825 | |
2017 | ||||||
March 25, 2017 | Performers |
— | A Concert For The Causes | — | $2,000,000 | Randy Travis was a special guest |
May 26, 2017 | U2 | The Lumineers | The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 | 49,087 / 49,087 | $6,044,330 | |
June 16, 2017 | Metallica | Avenged Sevenfold Local H Mix Master Mike |
WorldWired Tour | 45,860 / 45,860 | $5,481,881 | |
2018 | ||||||
May 19, 2018 | Kenny Chesney | Thomas Rhett Old Dominion Brandon Lay |
Trip Around the Sun Tour | 46,274 / 48,625 | $3,770,669 | |
September 11, 2018 | Beyoncé Jay-Z |
Chloe X Halle DJ Khaled |
On the Run II Tour | 41,626 / 41,626 | $5,713,125 | [93] |
October 5, 2018 | Taylor Swift | Camila Cabello Charli XCX |
Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour | 105,002 / 105,002 | $15,006,157 | Maren Morris was the special guest at the first show. Taylor and Maren performed "The Middle". Sugarland were the special guests on the second show. They performed their collaboration with Swift "Babe".[94][95] Netflix also captured the night for their Reputation Tour Film on Netflix. |
October 6, 2018 | ||||||
October 27, 2018 | Ed Sheeran | Snow Patrol Lauv |
÷ Tour | 46,249 / 46,249 | $4,528,561 | [96] |
2019 | ||||||
November 2, 2019 | Post Malone | Performers Meek Mill Pharrell Williams Rae Sremmurd Jaden Smith Dominic Fike Doja Cat Yella Beezy Tyla Yaweh Saint Jhn Iann Dior Beach Fossils Snowy Maj Kerwin Frost G-Eazy |
Posty Fest | |||
2022 | ||||||
July 30, 2022 | Garth Brooks | Matt Rossi Trisha Yearwood |
The Garth Brooks Stadium Tour | TBA | TBA | [97] |
August 14, 2022 | The Weeknd | Snoh Aalegra Mike Dean |
After Hours til Dawn Stadium Tour | 49,783 / 49,783 | $8,043,625 | [98][99] |
September 9, 2022 | Bad Bunny | Alesso | World's Hottest Tour | 54,637 / 54,637 | $12,384,432 | |
2023 | ||||||
March 31, 2023 | Taylor Swift | Muna Gayle |
The Eras Tour | 210,607 / 210,607 | — | First artist ever to perform and sell out three straight days [100] Highest three-day attendance in stadium history. |
April 1, 2023 | Beabadoobee Gracie Abrams | |||||
April 2, 2023 | ||||||
May 6, 2023 | Ed Sheeran | Khalid Dylan |
+–=÷× Tour | 59,265 / 59,265 | $5,733,414 | [101] |
August 18, 2023 | Metallica | Pantera Mammoth WVH |
M72 World Tour | 139,630 / 139,630 | $18,524,712 | |
August 20, 2023 | Five Finger Death Punch Ice Nine Kills | |||||
September 21, 2023 | Beyoncé | - | Renaissance World Tour | 52,953 / 52,953 | $13,849,491 | [102] |
2024 | ||||||
May 11, 2024 | Kenny Chesney Zac Brown Band |
Megan Moroney Uncle Kracker |
Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour | |||
July 25, 2024 | Morgan Wallen | Jelly Roll Nate Smith Bryan Martin |
One Night At A Time World Tour | |||
July 26, 2024 | TBD Nate Smith Bryan Martin | |||||
2025 | ||||||
April 14, 2025 | AC/DC | The Pretty Reckless | Power Up Tour | |||
April 26, 2025 | Kendrick Lamar SZA |
Grand National Tour | ||||
May 9, 2025 | Post Malone Jelly Roll |
Sierra Ferrell | Big Ass Stadium Tour | |||
On October 20, 2008, Cowboys owner Jones and New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner announced a joint business venture called Legends Hospitality Management LLC that would operate the concessions and merchandising sales at the new Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas, and at the new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, along with the stadiums of the Yankees' minor league affiliates. Former Pizza Hut President Michael Rawlings will run the company from its new headquarters in Newark, New Jersey. The company was also backed by Wall Street investment firm Goldman Sachs and Dallas private equity firm CIC Partners LP.[119][120][121]
The Jones family commissioned 18 contemporary artists to create site-specific artworks for the stadium. The stadium features paintings, sculptures, and installations by Franz Ackermann, Doug Aitken, Ricci Albenda, Mel Bochner, Daniel Buren, Olafur Eliasson, Teresita Fernandez, Wayne Gonzales, Terry Haggerty, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Jacqueline Humphries, Jim Isermann, Annette Lawrence, Dave Muller, Gary Simmons, and Lawrence Weiner.[122][123][124]
In 2013, the stadium acquired Sky Mirror, a sculpture by Anish Kapoor. It sits in a plaza outside the east end of the stadium.[125]
The fees for premium parking at Dallas Cowboys games are estimated at $75 per game, based on season ticket holder parking charges.[126] The fees to park at major concerts and other sporting events will be nearly $40 per space at the new stadium.[127] A shuttle operates between the T&P Station and AT&T Stadium for all Cowboys regular season and postseason games and selected college football games,[128] which averages approximately 900 riders per game.[128] For special events like Super Bowl XLV parking prices can increase to as much as $990.[129]
The stadium was only accessible via the weekday-only Metro Arlington Xpress (MAX) bus system; a 0.4 mi (0.64 km) walk from the Collins and Andrews stop that connected with the Trinity Rail Express (TRE) station at CentrePort/DFW Airport. The bus system was an experimental program operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit that commenced in April 2013 and was replaced by a ride-sharing service in December 2017. Although the replacement service offers connections at CentrePort/DFW Airport station, it does not operate on Sundays.
Since its opening, the unorthodox size and positioning of the video boards above the field has been the source of controversy, specifically due to its interference with punts on multiple occasions. During the stadium's first preseason game, on August 21, 2009, a punt by Tennessee Titans punter A. J. Trapasso hit the scoreboard. By rule, the down was replayed. Jerry Jones later remarked that Trapasso was trying to hit the scoreboard, saying, "If you look at how you punt the football, unless you're trying to hit the scoreboard, you punt the ball to get downfield. You certainly want to get some hangtime, but you punt the ball to get downfield, and you sure don't punt the ball down the middle. You punt it off to the side."[130] Whether the screen would affect an opposing team's punting strategy has been debated.[by whom?] For teams with strategies centered on maximizing hang time, physicist Christopher Moore of Longwood University has shown via computer simulation that well-kicked punts have the potential to hit the screen no matter the field position.[131] Trapasso disputed Jones' suggestion that he was intentionally trying to hit the board, and other NFL punters have suggested that the board may pose a problem for longer hang-time punts. The screen was retrofitted with 16 custom winches using 11,000 feet (3,400 m) of 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) domestic galvanized wire rope to transport the video board in time to make room for U2's massive set during their 360° Tour, and was moved back down after the concert.[citation needed] The video board is also the primary attachment point for up to 370,000 pounds (170,000 kg) of concert and theatrical rigging.[citation needed]
On August 24, 2013, during a preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Cowboys punter Chris Jones became the second player to hit the scoreboard. He conceded a touchdown on the rekick.[132] Other punters to hit the scoreboard with an in-game kick include Bryan Anger[133] and Jake Camarda.[134]
AT&T Stadium's field was constructed on an east–west orientation, and despite being a domed stadium, it features large glass windows behind both end zones. The majority of NFL stadiums are built with the field set in a north–south orientation to avoid sun glare. For stadium sites which require an east–west layout, teams either use curtains or other obstructions to keep out the sun, or limit large windows to sides of the building where direct sunlight is not an issue.[135] AT&T Stadium does have curtains, which are used for other events but never closed during Cowboys games. As a result, during Sunday Cowboys games that start in the late afternoon timeslot (typically either 3:05 or 3:25 PM local time), the sunset has created a glare that shines through the stadium's windows behind the west end zone, which have at times interfered with players' vision. Wide receivers have complained about being unable to see the ball being thrown to them due to the glare, and kick/punt returners have complained about being unable to see the ball being kicked towards them.[136][137]
In a 2024 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb appeared to miss a potential touchdown throw from quarterback Cooper Rush due to the sunlight glare. In a postgame interview, Lamb stated: "I couldn’t see the ball. Couldn’t see the ball, at all. The sun." When asked if he was in favor of using the stadium's existing curtains to block the sunlight (which are used for other non-football events), Lamb responded: "Yes. One thousand percent."
When asked about the sunlight issue, Jerry Jones stated: "We do know where the damn sun's going to be at our own stadium", and when asked about closing the existing curtains during games, Jones rejected the idea, saying, "Well, let's just tear the damn stadium down and build another one? You kidding me?...Everybody's got the same thing...Every team that comes in here has the same issues. They know where the sun's going to be. Every team has the same thing."[138][139] Ironically, the Cowboys had to jury-rig a shade for Coach Mike McCarthy's press conference the day after Lamb's comments, as the sun was shining right into his eyes.[140]
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