On this day in history - Texas Stadium demolished

[jazzcat22]

Back in the early 1980's there was a huge rivalry between LD Bell in Hurst and Trinity in Euless. It was either the 1981 or 1982 seasons and both schools were top in the district. The school district was expecting a huge turnout for the annual rivalry game, which also had district championship implications for both schools. The decision was made to hold the game at Texas Stadium, and it was the right decision. The stadium was packed - for a high school game.

Any way, I was part of the team and we were holding practice at the stadium a few days before the game. While we were on the field Rafael Septien showed up for his own practice session and everyone got to visit with him a bit. It was a pretty cool experience for a bunch of 16 year old kids.

My son went to LD Bell for 2 years. But graduated from Grapevine for his senior year. I live closer to Trinity now though.
Still a big rivalry, but not as nearly as back then. Though I did not live here then.

 

[jazzcat22]

I think it was the Dallas mayor who screwed up. Jerry wanted to build in Dallas if I'm remembering correctly, but I think Laura Miller is the one who screwed up negotiations, so Jerry started looking to Arlington instead.

Yes you are correct.
Jerry was targeting Fair Park area. Want to build a new stadium there. Can't remember if it was proposed to tear down the Cotton Bowl or not.
Miller told him they would renovate the Cotton Bowl instead. Pretty much take it or leave it. He left it.

Jerry wanted to take the team back to Dallas. I think one of the other options was near the Trinity River, but it was not a good area to be convenient together to.

That was when Arlington stepped up. The origianl plans were to build shopping and hotels around it. But Walmart refused to sell across the street, so those plans did not prosper. Also an apartment complex South of the stadium refused. As the city for some reason could not use eminent domain on them. I guess it just applied to houses.

 

[gtb1943]

Yes you are correct.
Jerry was targeting Fair Park area. Want to build a new stadium there. Can't remember if it was proposed to tear down the Cotton Bowl or not.
Miller told him they would renovate the Cotton Bowl instead. Pretty much take it or leave it. He left it.

Jerry wanted to take the team back to Dallas. I think one of the other options was near the Trinity River, but it was not a good area to be convenient together to.

That was when Arlington stepped up. The origianl plans were to build shopping and hotels around it. But Walmart refused to sell across the street, so those plans did not prosper. Also an apartment complex South of the stadium refused. As the city for some reason could not use eminent domain on them. I guess it just applied to houses.

Imminent domain has been restricted by court decisions; too many cities started to do it just for shopping centers and not for what it was meant for, which was important roads and things like that.

 

[InPhiltraitor]

Please permit me a moment to give you an Eagles fans perspective on Texas Stadium.

Texas Stadium itself was a legit part of the DNA that prompted such hatred for the Cowboys. It wasn’t enough that you had the stoic fedora confidently overseeing his well oiled machine, the cheerleaders only rivaled by the Rockettes, the moniker of America’s Team, but you also just had to play in what we viewed as the Taj Mahal of football.

We couldn’t even watch the opening of our favorite prime time soap opera without seeing a flyover of that freakin’ stadium! BTW, a special thanks to D.D.Lewis for fanning the flames by coming up with, “the hole in the roof was so God can watch His favorite team play.” Piss down our backs and tell is it’s raining a little more, would ya! Meanwhile, back in Philadelphia, we watched our guys play on a patchwork quilted death trap that shortened lives by its concrete hardness and exposed seams.

To us, this was the have’s vs the have nots. Blue collar vs white collar. Today we know this to be nonsense, but back then the world was bigger and not connected by simply logging-in. So we were ignorant and…JEALOUS.

Texas Stadium can take pride in being a player that helped grow the rivalry that is Philly vs. Dallas. I know nothing of what the amenities were like inside the stadium, but when game coverage started and the first image you would see was the exterior of Texas stadium (accompanied by the voice of Pat Summerall) your hands would get a like sweaty. Thinking back, the sweaty hands wasn’t just the anticipation of playing the Cowboys, but also a bit of reverence for playing the image which began at the sight of Texas Stadium.

 

[Hagman]

I had season tickets to Cowboys games at Texas Stadium in its last years, and the place had turned into a dump. Weeds all along the walk up and entry areas, trash and boxes stacked high in the concessions areas, and the panels on the roof had faded so that they didn't match in color. The playing area itself was nice, but they had not kept up maintenance elsewhere and, honestly, it was time to blow it up.

 

[acr731]

Jerry wanted to take the team back to Dallas. I think one of the other options was near the Trinity River, but it was not a good area to be convenient together to.

I forgot about those plans to build in north Arlington. If Jerry had built his castle there it would have been 5 minutes from my mom's house. But I think the major concerns at that time were that the area a was a huge floodplain and the idea was scrapped. Viridian ended up building in the area instead, not long after Jerry gave up on it. If he would have reconsidered he would have had plenty of space to build as many hotels and shopping venues he wanted.

 

[acr731]

I had season tickets to Cowboys games at Texas Stadium in its last years, and the place had turned into a dump. Weeds all along the walk up and entry areas, trash and boxes stacked high in the concessions areas, and the panels on the roof had faded so that they didn't match in color. The playing area itself was nice, but they had not kept up maintenance elsewhere and, honestly, it was time to blow it up.

In the later years, yes, the playing surface was nice. Not so much back in the 80's. The surface was so hard it was like playing street football.

Speaking of the lack of maintenance - the rumor was that Jerry did that on purpose as a selling point for the new place he wanted.

 

[jazzcat22]

I forgot about those plans to build in north Arlington. If Jerry had built his castle there it would have been 5 minutes from my mom's house. But I think the major concerns at that time were that the area a was a huge floodplain and the idea was scrapped. Viridian ended up building in the area instead, not long after Jerry gave up on it.

Yes, I was hoping they would have built there. I live just North of there, about the same 5 minutes, if that much. If I hit the lights right, probably 3 minutes.
Yes a flood plane, and also across from the land fill for the area. I would not but in Viridian, not sure if the smell is an issue or not. I have not heard that it is.
To get access to the stadium, they would have to buy out some area to get a road from 360. Or expand Trinity Blvd some for traffic flow.
Only a few ways to get to it, if a road was not extended from 360.

 

[jazzcat22]

In the later years, yes, the playing surface was nice. Not so much back in the 80's. The surface was so hard it was like playing street football.

Speaking of the lack of maintenance - the rumor was that Jerry did that on purpose as a selling point for the new place he wanted.

Yes, I heard that also. He was not going to dump money into it, as the lease was also coming up.

When we went to games, we parking on the north side of 183, there was a small diner there, paid $20 to $30 parking. Went a few hours before the game to avoid traffic. Went inside to eat before a long walk under the highway through a field to the stadium.
Hot weather was tough, and cold windy weather the same.
The hotel there, also charged $30 for parking, and $40if a night game. If the diner lot was full.

Leaving and getting back home was not too bad though. It was going to the game, getting off 183, passing Loop 12 as that was the only way, which is why we left 2 hours early.

 

[acr731]

Yes, I heard that also. He was not going to dump money into it, as the lease was also coming up.

When we went to games, we parking on the north side of 183, there was a small diner there, paid $20 to $30 parking. Went a few hours before the game to avoid traffic. Went inside to eat before a long walk under the highway through a field to the stadium.
Hot weather was tough, and cold windy weather the same.
The hotel there, also charged $30 for parking, and $40if a night game. If the diner lot was full.

Leaving and getting back home was not too bad though. It was going to the game, getting off 183, passing Loop 12 as that was the only way, which is why we left 2 hours early.

You reminded me of one of the last games I went to at TS..... After Emmitt Smith signed with the Cardinals he played only one game at TS - October 5, 2003. Emmitt injured his shoulder in the game and missed the next 6. Anyway, I took my mom and son to the game and we left from Euless about an hour and a half early, even though it was only a 9 mile trip. Due to the traffic and the long walk from the parking area a half mile to the northeast, we ended up missing nearly the entire first half before we could get inside.

 

[SinceDayOne]

Been to the three multiple Cowboy football venues multiple times. I rank them AT & T last (it is not about the Cowboys and the NFL. It is more like a circus venue or theme park); Cotton Bowl second (It was the birthplace of America's Team. It was like your home neighborhood or home town) and Texas Stadium number one (It was all about the Cowboy football team and the fans. No side shows that are annoying distractions).

 

[fivetwos]

Haven’t seen mentioned yet….the dramatic pitch from sideline to the middle of the field was unique from what I know….I guess for drainage.

I’d swear that’s why Brett Favre wasn’t so accurate at times on out patterns.

 

[fivetwos]

Yes you are correct.
Jerry was targeting Fair Park area. Want to build a new stadium there. Can't remember if it was proposed to tear down the Cotton Bowl or not.
Miller told him they would renovate the Cotton Bowl instead. Pretty much take it or leave it. He left it.

Jerry wanted to take the team back to Dallas. I think one of the other options was near the Trinity River, but it was not a good area to be convenient together to.

That was when Arlington stepped up. The origianl plans were to build shopping and hotels around it. But Walmart refused to sell across the street, so those plans did not prosper. Also an apartment complex South of the stadium refused. As the city for some reason could not use eminent domain on them. I guess it just applied to houses.

I’m a little surprised at how poor my memory is on this topic. I’m not sure why I felt so little need to bother. Wasn’t as if I wasn’t constantly following the team. Guess it was still about football then. Imagine that.

So….Jerry was able to get the City of Irving Texas to make an exception to its “dry” status and allow him to sell alcohol, but he couldn’t secure the public funding that is quite typical in larger areas/cities and pro sports?

I read in some book somewhere that bringing a cooler of beer was once allowed in TS and it blew my mind.

As much as I can’t stand Jerry I have no problem at all that he took the best deal possible on his cathedral….as much as I would have liked the new one in the cash parking lot at TS (like 15 miles away lol).