The fate of Texas Stadium; implosion for a film?
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DEZBRYANT x88x
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Officials: Well-known food company may want to sponsor Texas Stadium implosion
10:37 PM CDT on Friday, October 30, 2009
By BRANDON FORMBY / The Dallas Morning News
bformby@***BANNED-URL***
Dallas Cowboys fans – and haters – who want the honor of imploding Irving's iconic Texas Stadium could face a lot of competition.
A well-known food company has expressed interest in sponsoring next year's implosion. The company also wants to conduct a nationwide contest to decide who gets to push the plunger that destroys the former home of America's Team.
City leaders revealed the company's interest Friday but declined to name the entity. But Irving officials said the company would bring a lot of attention to the event – and Irving – through a national advertising campaign centered on its proposed contest.
"They bring a lot to us," said Maura Gast, executive director of Irving's Convention and Visitors Bureau. "For that reason, it really is our recommendation to see this through and see if we get there."
Gast made the comments during a meeting of the Irving City Council's communications committee that focused on the public relations and event production aspects of the planned implosion. Officials are planning a large event so fans, residents and even the nation can say goodbye to the hallowed structure.
Gast said she hopes to bring an agreement with the undisclosed company to the council by December. The council last month agreed to pay Weir Bros. $5.8 million to demolish the stadium, where the Cowboys played from 1971 to 2008. The team is in the middle of its inaugural football season at Cowboys Stadium, a $1.15 billion replacement venue in Arlington.
Representatives from the council, Irving City Hall, the convention and visitors bureau, chamber of commerce and Weir Bros. will be involved in planning the event. A firm date hasn't been selected, though officials said the most likely timeframe is mid- to late February. Officials are still working through other details such as staging areas, viewing areas and parking.
"In terms of the NFL, it is a sports icon," council member Sam Smith said.
Officials also are trying to figure out how to handle traffic on the highways surrounding the stadium.
"That could potentially be a nightmare," council member Rose Cannaday said.
Irving officials had discussed auctioning off the rights to push the plunger and giving the money to local charities. For decades, the stadium was an indirect source of fundraisers. Many groups made money working concession stands on game days. Others would be given tickets for suites that they would auction off to the public in fundraisers.
On Friday, city officials said they still want to benefit local groups. They said that if the national company holds a contest for the implosion, its sponsorship fees would be given to local charities.
"We'd still get them to get a piece out of this," Gast said.
But city officials are also interested in exploring the idea of having multiple plungers so people with personal ties to the stadium could participate. Though no one's been approached, Cannaday said participants could include legendary coach Tom Landry's widow, Alicia Landry, former Irving Mayor Robert Power and former Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach.
Landry and Power were the top two vote-getters in a survey on The Dallas Morning News' Irving Blog this month. More than 1,000 people from across the nation voted in the survey, which asked who should have the honors of pushing the plunger.
The council is expected next week to consider hiring a company to coordinate the implosion-day event and a public relations company to handle the onslaught of filming requests.
Gast said producers from a number of television and cable channels and programs have approached the city with an interest in filming the now-shuttered stadium and its destruction.
Irving wants to turn the Texas Stadium site, bounded by four major thoroughfares, into a new development project. Until a viable project comes forward, the city is leasing the land to the Texas Department of Transportation as a construction project staging area.
The site will be along Irving and DART's planned Orange Line light rail route. City leaders hope to use the media interest in the stadium's implosion to get exposure for Irving's plans, many of which include developments along the light rail line.
"The key message we want to integrate is life after Texas Stadium, life here in Irving, Texas, will go on," Gast said.
10:37 PM CDT on Friday, October 30, 2009
By BRANDON FORMBY / The Dallas Morning News
bformby@***BANNED-URL***
Dallas Cowboys fans – and haters – who want the honor of imploding Irving's iconic Texas Stadium could face a lot of competition.
A well-known food company has expressed interest in sponsoring next year's implosion. The company also wants to conduct a nationwide contest to decide who gets to push the plunger that destroys the former home of America's Team.
City leaders revealed the company's interest Friday but declined to name the entity. But Irving officials said the company would bring a lot of attention to the event – and Irving – through a national advertising campaign centered on its proposed contest.
"They bring a lot to us," said Maura Gast, executive director of Irving's Convention and Visitors Bureau. "For that reason, it really is our recommendation to see this through and see if we get there."
Gast made the comments during a meeting of the Irving City Council's communications committee that focused on the public relations and event production aspects of the planned implosion. Officials are planning a large event so fans, residents and even the nation can say goodbye to the hallowed structure.
Gast said she hopes to bring an agreement with the undisclosed company to the council by December. The council last month agreed to pay Weir Bros. $5.8 million to demolish the stadium, where the Cowboys played from 1971 to 2008. The team is in the middle of its inaugural football season at Cowboys Stadium, a $1.15 billion replacement venue in Arlington.
Representatives from the council, Irving City Hall, the convention and visitors bureau, chamber of commerce and Weir Bros. will be involved in planning the event. A firm date hasn't been selected, though officials said the most likely timeframe is mid- to late February. Officials are still working through other details such as staging areas, viewing areas and parking.
"In terms of the NFL, it is a sports icon," council member Sam Smith said.
Officials also are trying to figure out how to handle traffic on the highways surrounding the stadium.
"That could potentially be a nightmare," council member Rose Cannaday said.
Irving officials had discussed auctioning off the rights to push the plunger and giving the money to local charities. For decades, the stadium was an indirect source of fundraisers. Many groups made money working concession stands on game days. Others would be given tickets for suites that they would auction off to the public in fundraisers.
On Friday, city officials said they still want to benefit local groups. They said that if the national company holds a contest for the implosion, its sponsorship fees would be given to local charities.
"We'd still get them to get a piece out of this," Gast said.
But city officials are also interested in exploring the idea of having multiple plungers so people with personal ties to the stadium could participate. Though no one's been approached, Cannaday said participants could include legendary coach Tom Landry's widow, Alicia Landry, former Irving Mayor Robert Power and former Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach.
Landry and Power were the top two vote-getters in a survey on The Dallas Morning News' Irving Blog this month. More than 1,000 people from across the nation voted in the survey, which asked who should have the honors of pushing the plunger.
The council is expected next week to consider hiring a company to coordinate the implosion-day event and a public relations company to handle the onslaught of filming requests.
Gast said producers from a number of television and cable channels and programs have approached the city with an interest in filming the now-shuttered stadium and its destruction.
Irving wants to turn the Texas Stadium site, bounded by four major thoroughfares, into a new development project. Until a viable project comes forward, the city is leasing the land to the Texas Department of Transportation as a construction project staging area.
The site will be along Irving and DART's planned Orange Line light rail route. City leaders hope to use the media interest in the stadium's implosion to get exposure for Irving's plans, many of which include developments along the light rail line.
"The key message we want to integrate is life after Texas Stadium, life here in Irving, Texas, will go on," Gast said.
DandyDon1722
It's been a good 'un, ain't it?
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Not sure I will look forward to watching that. In fact, I know I won't.
NextGenBoys
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It's going to take quite awhile before I think of anything but Texas Stadium as home of the Dallas Cowboys.
No matter how great this new stadium is.
No matter how great this new stadium is.
Beast_from_East
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So there is going to be a nationwide contest to see who gets to hit the plunger???
A little more respect should be shown than this. Anything to make a buck nowdays, just makes me want to puke.
A little more respect should be shown than this. Anything to make a buck nowdays, just makes me want to puke.
CowboyMike
Stay Thirsty, My Friends
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NextGenBoys;3053317 said:
I agree. It just doesn't feel like home yet.
DallasKnight
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NextGenBoys;3053317 said:
I thought this was a joke title to begin with. I'm sick to my very soul that this is actually going to happen. Just Wow... Wow... Really? Wow...
I can't believe it. Not very respectful of a place where litterally millions of people spent so much heartfelt emotion, tears, anger, elation, not to mention the money. I only got to go to ONE game at Texas stadium, but felt I had been there hundreds of times due to television. It's still home. :starspin
Just freakin Wow.
calico
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yeah, I still am getting used to Cowboys Stadium. I keep hoping they open the roof up during the day so it gets the same feeling as Texas Stadium. Sad to see Texas Stadium going out like this- first pictures of it seemingly stuck in purgatory and now word of it's destruction being tied in with a competition. I only got to see 2 games at Texas stadium and I will never forget them. I remember first walking down out of the tunnel towards the seats and seeing the field for the first time. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I thought of all the history that the field had seen. The teams of the the 70's and 90's...it was a great experience.
Floatyworm
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I think I just got sick to my stomach.
What a waste-
Really???? the city can't find any use for this?
High school games???? concerts????
What a waste-
Really???? the city can't find any use for this?
High school games???? concerts????
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I was wondering...
Thank goodness, participants like Mrs. Landry, Mayor Power and Staubach will be safely situated very far away from the blast zone, but would non-Cowboy fan contest winners consider standing inside Texas Stadium when they press their plungers? Could contest organizers make that like some sorta required stipulation..?
Probably not, huh? DANG!
Thank goodness, participants like Mrs. Landry, Mayor Power and Staubach will be safely situated very far away from the blast zone, but would non-Cowboy fan contest winners consider standing inside Texas Stadium when they press their plungers? Could contest organizers make that like some sorta required stipulation..?
Probably not, huh?
DANG! 
BotchedLobotomy
Wide Right
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Without the Cowboys, it's a worthless concrete and steel building. You can't fault the city for getting as much for it as possible, even if it means making somewhat of a spectacle of it.
Big Dakota
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Wow, the folks running Irving's business are pretty classless.
DeaconBlues
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Floaty;3053412 said:I think I just got sick to my stomach.
What a waste-
Really???? the city can't find any use for this?
High school games???? concerts????
The upkeep of the stadium wouldn't justify the use. It would be the world's largest HS stadium . . .
Cowboy Brian
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I just puked a lil.
