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View Full Version : RECAP: Stephen Jones with Norm on The Ticket...


trickblue
12-14-2006, 11:47 AM
Jones:

I think the new stadium will be a terrific venue for North Texas. We felt that it deserved the type of unveiling it received. Many people have worked so hard on this project.
We studied a lot of stadiums. One of the biggest complaints was restrooms. We will have over 1600 restroom facilities. We also will have concessions stands just a few steps from anywhere in the stadium. There will be over 300 concession stands and we want people to wait in line as little as possible.
We will have over 20 elevators and escalators in the new stadium. I think we currently have 4 at Texas Stadium.
We are going to have a tremendous number of parking spots. Given where the stadium is located, it will have a downtown feel to it. This will also give alternate parking possibilities. There will be over 30,000 parking spaces available on game days in conjunction with the Rangers. We are also working with the new mall going in to help as well.
Arlington caps at 325 million with their contribution to the new stadium. We're hoping the new stadium doesn't go over a billion. You have lots of over runs you don't think about in the building process, but what we have done is include extra things most don't consider so we feel we are pretty accurate on the costs.
This stadium will have state of the art electronics from the big screens, to the luxury suites to the open concourse areas.
There will be few other significant announcements before the stadium opens. We knew the media wanted access to our plans, but we wanted to wait til we had all of our ducks in a row. We wanted to have as comprehensive unveiling as we could.
We are only 2.5 years away from the opening. That seems like a long time, but in construction terms, that isn't very long.
Hotels, shopping centers and other things are being planned by Ranger owner Tom Hicks. We hope to have some other projects of our own coming up.
We feel that there will be many in the entertainment industry that will want to produce their shows in this venue.

SupermanXx
12-14-2006, 11:53 AM
ah... cant wait to see the finished product

vlad
12-14-2006, 01:24 PM
City of Dallas = boneheads

What is there exactly of any importance in downtown Dallas? Who could you trust more than Jerry Jones to build something unprecedented, and why the hell would you not want that to build your city around. Let's face it, once the OU/UT game goes, and the cotton bowl moves to Arlington, Dallas loses some major national attention. Just makes me angry, what a wasted opportunity.

Doomsday
12-14-2006, 01:30 PM
City of Dallas = boneheads

What is there exactly of any importance in downtown Dallas? Who could you trust more than Jerry Jones to build something unprecedented, and why the hell would you not want that to build your city around. Let's face it, once the OU/UT game goes, and the cotton bowl moves to Arlington, Dallas loses some major national attention. Just makes me angry, what a wasted opportunity.

I agree what a horrible decision. Arlington is going to make at least 100 times its initial investment in the next 20 years

SupermanXx
12-14-2006, 01:31 PM
I can see the downtown dallas skyline from my backyard.. I live like 10-15 minutes away from downtown...... freakin unbelievably wasted oppurtunity

GTaylor
12-14-2006, 02:00 PM
City of Dallas = boneheads

What is there exactly of any importance in downtown Dallas? Who could you trust more than Jerry Jones to build something unprecedented, and why the hell would you not want that to build your city around. Let's face it, once the OU/UT game goes, and the cotton bowl moves to Arlington, Dallas loses some major national attention. Just makes me angry, what a wasted opportunity.
I doubt Jerry ever wanted to build in Dallas, he asked for $450 million and gave them only 2 months to respond (As oppposed to the 2 years it took him to draw up a proposal), Jones then quickly removed his offer and closed all negotiations. Methinks Arlington was his intention the entire time.

And I feel like I'm posting this for the millionth time, but Arlington isn't getting the profits (Nothing new - all new arenas now include this in their contract), they aren't getting the practice facilities, coaching offices/suites, etc (All are staying in Irving) and Arlington is paying the 2nd highest ever for a stadium (Reliant field in Houston was #1 at $365 million but they're getting all the facilities). Also Pittsburgh and New England taxed their cities $80 million each for their stadium. So while Arlington is winning out, I can't fault Dallas too much.

Re: OU/Texas game, if I'm Dallas I'm more worried about them going home/home than moving to Arlington, reason they have it in the Cotton Bowl is because of the State Fair.

SupermanXx
12-14-2006, 02:06 PM
Re: OU/Texas game, if I'm Dallas I'm more worried about them going home/home than moving to Arlington,

what do you mean?

tyke1doe
12-14-2006, 02:21 PM
I agree what a horrible decision. Arlington is going to make at least 100 times its initial investment in the next 20 years

I don't know about that. There was a study done which revealed that large domed stadiums don't attract the revenue city officials argue they do. They're generally operate in the red.

You have to remember too that beyond the football season, the new facility will need to be in use, and the cost to operate it factors into the rate you charge concert promoters, conventioneers etc. Are they really going to want to pay the cost to rent that facility? Will they have the money to do so?

GTaylor
12-14-2006, 02:50 PM
what do you mean?
Both schools demanded larger payouts/additions to the Cotton Bowl else they were moving the series to Norman and Austin. They recently signed a deal that I thinks lasts until 2010, after that it'll depend on where both schools rank as to what they'll demand then.

CrazyCowboy
12-14-2006, 02:57 PM
Let's play some football.....cannot wait....it sounds AWESOME

Seven
12-14-2006, 03:45 PM
2 1/2 years? It's like a giant erector set. WTH? Looks like I may have to dust off my hard hat.

CowboyJeff
12-14-2006, 04:25 PM
Dallas mayor Laura Miller is going to be one of the most despised people in Dallas history. First she loses the horse races to Grand Prairie, then she loses the Cowboys to Arlington. Soon it will be the TX-OU game to Arlington as well. I wonder if she's on the Arlington payroll.