The Arlington City Council in Texas has given approval to move forward with a $1.2 billion project in AT&T Stadium to implement improvements and maintain the Dallas Cowboys’ lease.
The approved motion kicked off a 20-year plan to funnel infrastructure investments directly into the stadium. The city will contribute $273 million over that period – starting in 2028 – while the Cowboys will cover the remaining $750 million.
Planned improvements will include improved security inside the stadium and neighboring spaces. The city also plans to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety. Most of the details remain under wraps as the city continues to refine the project’s scope. However, officials anticipate that the renovations will be completed by 2043.
While the city council has received backlash from the local community for using public dollars for the project, the incentives and investment in the Cowboys will drive future growth. The team generates roughly $324 million each year for the city, according to city and team officials.
As part of the new deal, the city will leverage excess revenue from existing venue taxes, avoiding delving into the general fund or implementing new taxes. Officials note that this tax structure aligns with the original voter-approved framework implemented as part of the $325 million 2004 bond package approved to build the stadium in the first place. The city paid off that debt in 2025, saving approximately $150 million that would have accrued as interest over the next decade.
Photo by Nicole Cordeiro, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, from Wikimedia Commons
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