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03:04 PM CDT on Tuesday, May 22, 2007
From Staff and Wire Reports
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — NFL owners Tuesday picked the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington as the site of Super Bowl XLV in 2011. Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach led the Dallas Cowboys' delegation to Nashville, where NFL owners rejected bids from Indianapolis and Glendale, Ariz.
"This is kind of the thrill of a lifetime," Staubach said after the announcement was made at 1 p.m. CT.
The Cowboys, who have been to more Super Bowls than any team, have never hosted the nation's biggest sporting event.
"That's a pretty challenging commitment," said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who pledged to "make it be the best Super Bowl that's ever been."
The Cowboys' owner estimated that Super Bowl XLV would have an economic impact between $300 and $400 million, and he emphasized that the dollars won't stop at the Arlington city limits.
"Dallas as a city will benefit tremendously, dramatically from this Super Bowl," Jones said. "I'm a citizen there, and I really appreciate that."
He added that the logistics of having a Super Bowl in a place like downtown Dallas versus Arlington, which is 15 miles away, are "inisignificant" for such a major event.
Jones said the NFL owners' vote went to a fourth ballot before settling on his new stadium now under construction near the Texas Rangers' ballpark in Arlington.
Formally known as the "North Texas Bid," the Cowboys' plan was submitted to league officials last month. A personal plea came Tuesday morning from Staubach.
"We had our 12th grandchild last week and I was more nervous getting ready to go into this room than I was in the waiting room for the grandchild," Staubach said following his 15-minute presentation.
"I think it went well," he added.
Staubach emphasized the Cowboys' new $1 billion, 100,000-seat stadium that opens in 2009 and the support of all the communities pitching in to make the plan work, from Dallas to Fort Worth and the cities in between.
Jones noted that the Cowboys also plan to sell about 20,000 tickets to football fans who won't actually set foot inside the new stadium, but will instead be part of activities on the plazas at either end of the huge facility where they can cheer on their teams while watching giant screen TVs.
Jones was gracious in commending the presentations from Arizona and Indianapolis. "My hat's off, not only to their committes and their owners, but also to the people in those communities," he said.
The tension was palpable 637 miles away at Arlington City Hall, where officials waited for the word from Nashville.
Mayor Robert Cluck rushed into City Council Chambers to take a call from Mr. Jones on the speakerphone.
"We're going to have the Super Bowl," Jones said from Nashville. "You're my first call. We just walked out. We got the vote."
"I knew we'd do that," Cluck said.
"I'm glad you did," Mr. Jones laughed.
And with that, the celebration in Arlington began. Out came the blue, white and silver balloons. Out came a huge banner saying "Arlington Welcomes Super Bowl XLV in 2011." And out came caps with similar sentiments for all the council members.
"This is a remarkable development," Mayor Cluck said. "It's a big day for Arlington and a big day for North Texas. It shows what can happen when we all work together."
"I'm extremely pleased for North Texas that we have been chosen to host the Super Bowl," Dallas Mayor Laura Miller said in a statement "It will bring enormous economic benefits to our region—not to mention be a point of pride and a whole lot of fun."
North Texas has never hosted a Super Bowl. Houston has hosted two—Super Bowl VII in 1974, which was played at Rice University Stadium, and Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, at Reliant Stadium, home of the Houston Texans.
WFAA-TV reporters George Riba in Nashville and Darla Miles in Arlington, WFAA.com editor Walt Zwirko in Dallas, Dallas Morning News staff writers Laurie Fox and Dave Levinthal, and the Associated Press contributed to this story.
From Staff and Wire Reports
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — NFL owners Tuesday picked the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington as the site of Super Bowl XLV in 2011. Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach led the Dallas Cowboys' delegation to Nashville, where NFL owners rejected bids from Indianapolis and Glendale, Ariz.
"This is kind of the thrill of a lifetime," Staubach said after the announcement was made at 1 p.m. CT.
The Cowboys, who have been to more Super Bowls than any team, have never hosted the nation's biggest sporting event.
"That's a pretty challenging commitment," said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who pledged to "make it be the best Super Bowl that's ever been."
The Cowboys' owner estimated that Super Bowl XLV would have an economic impact between $300 and $400 million, and he emphasized that the dollars won't stop at the Arlington city limits.
"Dallas as a city will benefit tremendously, dramatically from this Super Bowl," Jones said. "I'm a citizen there, and I really appreciate that."
He added that the logistics of having a Super Bowl in a place like downtown Dallas versus Arlington, which is 15 miles away, are "inisignificant" for such a major event.
Jones said the NFL owners' vote went to a fourth ballot before settling on his new stadium now under construction near the Texas Rangers' ballpark in Arlington.
Formally known as the "North Texas Bid," the Cowboys' plan was submitted to league officials last month. A personal plea came Tuesday morning from Staubach.
"We had our 12th grandchild last week and I was more nervous getting ready to go into this room than I was in the waiting room for the grandchild," Staubach said following his 15-minute presentation.
"I think it went well," he added.
Staubach emphasized the Cowboys' new $1 billion, 100,000-seat stadium that opens in 2009 and the support of all the communities pitching in to make the plan work, from Dallas to Fort Worth and the cities in between.
Jones noted that the Cowboys also plan to sell about 20,000 tickets to football fans who won't actually set foot inside the new stadium, but will instead be part of activities on the plazas at either end of the huge facility where they can cheer on their teams while watching giant screen TVs.
Jones was gracious in commending the presentations from Arizona and Indianapolis. "My hat's off, not only to their committes and their owners, but also to the people in those communities," he said.
The tension was palpable 637 miles away at Arlington City Hall, where officials waited for the word from Nashville.
Mayor Robert Cluck rushed into City Council Chambers to take a call from Mr. Jones on the speakerphone.
"We're going to have the Super Bowl," Jones said from Nashville. "You're my first call. We just walked out. We got the vote."
"I knew we'd do that," Cluck said.
"I'm glad you did," Mr. Jones laughed.
And with that, the celebration in Arlington began. Out came the blue, white and silver balloons. Out came a huge banner saying "Arlington Welcomes Super Bowl XLV in 2011." And out came caps with similar sentiments for all the council members.
"This is a remarkable development," Mayor Cluck said. "It's a big day for Arlington and a big day for North Texas. It shows what can happen when we all work together."
"I'm extremely pleased for North Texas that we have been chosen to host the Super Bowl," Dallas Mayor Laura Miller said in a statement "It will bring enormous economic benefits to our region—not to mention be a point of pride and a whole lot of fun."
North Texas has never hosted a Super Bowl. Houston has hosted two—Super Bowl VII in 1974, which was played at Rice University Stadium, and Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, at Reliant Stadium, home of the Houston Texans.
WFAA-TV reporters George Riba in Nashville and Darla Miles in Arlington, WFAA.com editor Walt Zwirko in Dallas, Dallas Morning News staff writers Laurie Fox and Dave Levinthal, and the Associated Press contributed to this story.
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