ARLINGTON, Texas — An agenda item involving one of Texas’ most popular football teams is on the table for an upcoming Arlington City Council meeting.
According to an April 21 agenda, the council is considering a resolution to extend the Dallas Cowboys’ lease of AT&T Stadium, previously known as Cowboys Stadium until 2013.
The “Master Agreement” would allow the lease to extend to 2055 rather than the current end year of 2040. That 2040 lease includes “an option to extend near the end of the term,” according to a staff report from the council.
The report also states that the Cowboys team would contribute $750 million for “ongoing maintenance, operation and improvement of the complex” until 2055. Over the course of 20 years, the city would invest $273 million into an account specifically for maintenance and operation.
That city’s funds would come from venue taxes voters approved back in 2004 and again in 2016. At the time, the venue taxes went to the Cowboys Complex Development Project and Texas Rangers Complex Development Project, respectively.
The council report noted the economic impact of the Dallas Cowboys, saying the team generates roughly $324 million for the city of Arlington each year. If the lease is extended to 2055, the city would see about $4.9 billion in economic impact.