# Texas Stadium - only a memory now **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 11, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766 "2010-04-11T21:01:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/1 "2010-04-11T21:01:30Z")
I was saddened to see Texas Stadium demolished. I still remember it opening in 1971. That’s not all that long ago. It replaced the Cotton Bowl stadium. > **[NBC Sports - news, scores, stats, rumors, videos, and more](https://www.nbcsports.com/)** > > Stay up-to-date with the latest sports news and scores from NBC Sports. > **[Texas Stadium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Stadium)** > > Texas Stadium was an American football stadium located in Irving, Texas, a suburb west of Dallas. Opened on October 24, 1971, it was known for its distinctive hole in the roof, the result of abandoned plans to construct a retractable roof (Cowboys linebacker D. D. Lewis once famously said that "Texas Stadium has a hole in its roof, so God can watch His favorite team play"). > The stadium was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys for 38 seasons, through 2008, and had a seating capacity of 65,6... I have vivid memories of Texas Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys were such a dominant team of the 1970’s. I watched them on tv every Sunday during the season. SMU played their games at Texas Stadium for years. A close friend of mine attended SMU. He got tickets. I went a few times to see SMU play the Razorbacks. It’s so weird seeing major buildings built and demolished within ones own lifetime. Heck, I’m not even fifty yet. I always thought of buildings and stadiums as semi-permanent. Anyone else have memories of Texas Stadium? Maybe went there to see the Cotton Bowl played? ---
**Author:** ![Novalyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@Novalyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novalyne)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/2 "2010-04-11T22:00:47Z")
I live 7 miles from the stadium. This morning around 7 a.m. I was woken up by something that sounded like thunder but was not quite right. I did not realize until this afternoon that it was the implosion I was hearing. I would not have thought the sound would carry that far. I drive past the stadium to work every day. It will be strange not seeing the stadium. Hopefully, though, they’ll get all the road construction in that area completed. And the fact that I haven’t endured a game-related traffic jam since the Cowboys moved to Arlington fills me with happiness…Loop 12 can’t handle that amount of traffic. ---
**Author:** ![pudytat72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@pudytat72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pudytat72)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/3 "2010-04-11T22:03:42Z")
I was there to see the implosion. (it was impressive!) I grew up in Irving (3 miles south of Texas Stadium). If we went anywhere on a game day, we always had to know what time the game was, and plan our travel accordingly. You had to stay away from that area for at least 2 hours before and after the game. My high school graduation (1972) was held in Texas Stadium (a bad idea-they used the stadium public address system and there was a few second delay between what was said on the graduation platform and what echoed around the virtually empty stadium). I went to a few high school playoff games that were held there. I only went to one Cowboys game, and I felt it was more comfortable to watch at home and the “action” was closer on the TV. We were sitting in the hot sun for half of the game and the guy sitting next to me was drunk. I think it is sad that it is OK to tear down a multimillion dollar facility 38 years after building it because the new owner wants more “luxury suites” (more money). I will miss the visual landmark when I drive around. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/4 "2010-04-12T14:47:34Z")
And yet, the Cotton Bowl still stands … 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/5 "2010-04-12T14:49:16Z")
I had no idea. Did they ever finish the roof, at least? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/6 "2010-04-12T15:06:12Z")
I remember going to Cowboy games in the Cotton Bowl. It was a huge deal when Texas Stadium was built, state of the art in its time. Lots of memories, overwhelmingly positive. Many other teams would relish having a fraction of the success Dallas enjoyed there. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/7 "2010-04-12T16:57:33Z")
I wonder how long it’s going to be before our beloved Astrodome gets blown up here in Houston…☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/8 "2010-04-12T19:04:49Z")
Do I remember correctly that they held an auction or a lottery to determine who got to push the button? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/9 "2010-04-12T23:24:06Z")
I’ve never been to Texas Stadium, but it was the site of Kerry Von Erich’s victory over Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Title. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/10 "2010-04-12T23:33:09Z")
Ironic isn’t it? 😃 here’s the cotton bowl stadium you’ll have to zoom in. I don’t know how to save a link that zooms in. [http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=T18&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=cotton%20bowl&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl](http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=T18&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=cotton%20bowl&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl) > [@SCSimmons](#): > > And yet, the Cotton Bowl still stands … 😕 ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/11 "2010-04-12T23:47:37Z")
Was it really at 7 am? My wife and I heard something rumbling like thunder around 7 am Sunday, and we live in Lake Highlands, which must be 15 miles away. I wouldn’t have thought we could have heard it that far away, but apparently we could. I don’t have any memories of Texas Stadium… grew up an Oilers fan, and then after I moved here, I mostly marveled at what a total dump it appeared to be as I drove by it on 114 en route to my girlfriend’s house after work. ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/12 "2010-04-13T00:42:18Z")
good riddance! I couldn’t stand watching games from that atrocity. The shadows would drive me nuts. Proud Texans should be ashamed that place was ever built. ---
**Author:** ![Beerman1963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@Beerman1963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beerman1963)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/13 "2010-04-13T01:20:51Z")
Does anyone know what Irving plans to do with the space? ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/14 "2010-04-13T01:39:27Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Ironic isn’t it? 😃 > > here’s the cotton bowl stadium > > you’ll have to zoom in. I don’t know how to save a link that zooms in. > [Google Maps](http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=T18&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=cotton%20bowl&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl) Are they still using it for anything? I could be wrong but isn’t the Cotton Bowl really decrepit and falling apart? As for Texas Stadium, I’m not from Dallas so I don’t have any opinion on the place. However, it was one of many plastic cookie-cutter multi-purpose stadii built during the 60s and 70s whose sole purpose was to be functional. Aesthetics, fan comfort, and good views were at best purely secondary concerns if they were considered at all. That’s probably why unlike many of the baseball parks and stadii built during the early part of the 20th century, few tears are shed when they’re imploded. ---
**Author:** ![pudytat72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@pudytat72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pudytat72)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/15 "2010-04-13T01:45:25Z")
> [@Beerman1963](#): > > Does anyone know what Irving plans to do with the space? The City of Irving has no immediate plans for the space. The Texas Department of Transportation has a 10 year lease on the parking areas to store their stuff while they are rebuilding the intersections of 183, 114, and Loop 12 and getting the Orange Line of the DART rail put in through that area. (10 YEARS of traffic nightmares :eek:) So it will be a vacant lot for the next 10 years, most likely. After that? Who knows. ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/16 "2010-04-13T04:46:20Z")
Cotton bowl stadium is still being used. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/17 "2010-04-13T06:33:39Z")
Texas Stadium wasn’t one of the hideous donut baseball/football monstrosities. It was a football stadium from the start. I’ll miss it - saw one Cowboys game and several high school football games there. Jerry World is nice, and the Cotton Bowl has seen some major improvements. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-stadium-only-a-memory-now/535766/18 "2010-04-16T20:13:04Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Are they still using it for anything? I could be wrong but isn’t the Cotton Bowl really decrepit and falling apart? Not anymore–when Jerry Jones was looking for a municipal partner for building the Death Star, Dallas looked at that opportunity but decided that renovating the Cotton Bowl would be a better user of their money. Or at least, would use a lot less of it.