"Everything's bigger in Texas" takes on new meaning while touring the new Dallas Cowboys football stadium. The stadium cost over $1.1 billion to construct; and it makes a big statement. In addition to being massive (large enough that the Statue of Liberty would fit comfortably inside), the new structure is quite distinctive and technologically innovative.
From inside the stadium, with the roof closed, it was designed to look like the old Texas Stadium's roof (with its visual trademark hole). However, it can be fully-shut or fully-opened. Actually, it does a lot more than open; it slides back and then the end-zone entrances shift sideways to create the appearance of a totally open stadium, all the way out to the parking lots. My sons and I tried to figure-out how they did this ... and surmised that they spent a whole bunch of money and a lot of time to make this stadium act like a Transformer.
Another technological marvel is the high-definition video screen hanging above the field. It is a massive, and currently the world's largest screen. It measures more than 11,500 square feet (72feet tall and 160 feet wide) and weighs over 1.2 million pounds. In addition to experiencing the event live, they've tried to make the multimedia experience in the stadium better than you'd get on your television set. It will be easy to follow the action from any seat in the stadium.
By the way - that screen, alone, cost more ($40 million) than the entire construction of the Cowboys' previous home, Texas Stadium ($35 million).
In addition, the Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, has shown that he is an innovative business man as well. He focused on selling far more suites than stadiums before this had available. Moreover, even though the stadium is designed to hold approximately 80,000 people for normal events, it can expand to hold over 100,000 people for special events (like next year's Super Bowl).
He extended an olive branch to the common man. Not in the price of a pizza, which costs $60 at the stadium. However, the Cowboys now offer a "Party Pass" that allows access to the game for $29, so long as you're willing to stand in the concession areas. Believe it or not, that Party Pass idea is getting great press and opens the live game experience to a whole different range of socioeconomic backgrounds. At least until they see how much a burger costs of the stadium. I cut off the price of the alcohol or you'd need a drink.
Here is my impression of watching a game there.
Other Information:
- Here is a link to Cowboys Stadium site and its Wikipedia Entry.
- Here is a link to the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.
- Here is a link a multi-media Fly-Through of the Stadium and other to Videos.
- Here is a link to an Interactive Virtual Seat Map.
