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Known for the
hole in it's roof so God could watch his favorite team play, the Dallas
Cowboys called Texas Stadium their home for 37 seasons. The Dallas Cowboys were established
in 1960 as expansion franchise and have been the most successful
team in the NFL since, winning five Super Bowl's and eight
conference championships. From 1960 until 1970 the Cowboys played
at the 72,000 seat Cotton Bowl. Built in 1932, the stadium was
known for hosting the annual Cotton Bowl football gamey. By the
mid 1960s, then owner of the Cowboys, Clint Murchison, wanted a new
stadium built for his team. Residents of Irving, TX approved a
measure 2-1 to construct a new stadium for the Cowboys.
Construction began on January 26, 1969. The stadium was named after
its location, Texas Stadium.
The Dallas Cowboys played their first game at Texas Stadium on
October 24, 1971.
Texas Stadium became one of the NFL's most unique
stadiums upon opening because it is partially domed. A hole in the center of the roof allowed fans to stay dry but left
the field open to the elements outside. Over 65,000 blue seats in two
tiers extended around the gridiron. Two DiamondVision
scoreboard/video-boards were located inside Texas Stadium. The
stadium had many amenities that included
381 luxury suites, a stadium club where fans gathered for parties
and banquets, and The Corral that provided food, beverages,
entertainment and large screen televisions for fans before, during
and after all Cowboys games. Flags commemorating the Cowboys five
Super Bowl championships were hung from the roof. For years Texas
Stadium was one of the best stadiums in the NFL. However, over the
past decade many teams throughout the league opened new
stadiums that had more club and luxury seating than Texas Stadium
had. This led to the Cowboys wanting a new stadium to replace
their current home. Funding
for a new stadium was passed in November 2004 and the Cowboys
moved into Cowboys Stadium in 2009. The Cowboys played their
last game at Texas Stadium on December 20, 2008. Texas Stadium
was demolished on April 11, 2010 .
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