Star-Telegram July 28, 2004 Arlington Council begins weighing Cowboys stadium deal By David Wethe; Sally Claunch a remote possibility that they will come Arlington condemned some of the Star-Telegram Staff Writers here,” he said. land near the old Arlington Stadium to Bruner said the team may decide to build Ameriquest Field in Arlington. A consultant’s feasibility study will go to another city and that a sales tax The city was challenged in court, and be only one of the determining factors increase would be a hard sell for voters. a Tarrant County civil court jury ruled in that officials with the Dallas Cowboys But he added that he wants to see the 1996 that the $1 million that was offered and Arlington have to sort through dur- results of the study. for 12.5 acres nearby was about five ing the next 21 days. “If I see the economic benefit would times less than what it was worth. The team announced Monday that it be positive, I’ll be out there busting my The jury ordered the Arlington will suspend its Metroplex-wide search tail to impress voters of the benefits,” Sports Facilities Development and focus its attention on Arlington. he said. Authority, which leases the ballpark to The Cowboys will pay the city $50,000 Council members Kathryn Wilemon the Rangers, to pay almost $5 million to cover consulting and legal fees asso- and Wayne Ogle said they were waiting for the land, which is now a parking lot ciated with a stadium search. for the results of the study as well, and southwest of the ballpark. In discussing the agreement that a decision of this magnitude should The Fort Worth Sports Authority Monday, Mayor Robert Cluck said be made by voters. used eminent domain to acquire land for there wasn’t much contention from City “If it looks like it is to Arlington’s Texas Motor Speedway in north Fort Council members who met in a closed- advantage, let the people decide,” Worth. It condemned 13 lots in in a door session. But on Tuesday, when Wilemon said. mobile-home park near the speedway. asked about spending tax dollars to In June 2001, Cowboys owner Jerry The Cowboys and the city have build a $650 million stadium, council Jones first broached the idea of moving declined to say specifically where members had different views. the team from Texas Stadium in Irving they’re looking for land to build a new Councilwoman Sheri Capehart, who when its lease expires in 2008. Since stadium. Cluck said that’s because such represents southwest Arlington, said then, the team has also talked with offi- speculation could cause land prices to she wants to see the study before mak- cials in Dallas, Irving and Grapevine. rise, making it difficult to piece togeth- ing a final decision but that she isn’t The Cowboys are scouting locations er parcels. keen on raising taxes to finance the in Arlington exclusively and trying to If land prices rise because of specula- city’s portion. determine if it should buy the land or tion about a new public project — such as “My initial reaction to a sales tax have the city condemn it. According to a stadium — condemnation laws allow increase to fund a Cowboys stadium is a team spokesman, the Cowboys are the city to buy the property at the previous negative,” she said. considering property that is south of market value, Needles said. But Councilman Steve McCollum, Ameriquest Field in Arlington and Six But the team and the city may be try- an at-large council member who repre- Flags Over Texas. ing to avoid making that argument by sents the entire city, predicted that vot- Although Cluck estimated Monday opting to remain quiet about the loca- ers would approve a sales tax increase that the team would need about 120 to tion. after they hear all the facts. 150 acres, Brett Daniels, a Cowboys Or the team could just be looking to “It’s one of the best things that could spokesman, said the team still doesn’t buy the land on its own, he said. ever happen to the city,” he said. know exactly how much land it needs. The Cowboys are also looking at McCollum said the stadium would be But the stadium will likely need 30 how much land they need. The team a year-round facility that could host acres. will look at whether to build a parking numerous events. He also said it could Condemnation has become a popu- lot or share the one used by the spur redevelopment of the area, increas- lar method of acquiring land for high- Rangers. ing the city’s commercial tax base. profile projects, including stadiums, If they end up sharing, it wouldn’t be Councilman Joe Bruner, who repre- said Marc Needles, an attorney in all that unusual. sents north Arlington, said he doubts Philadelphia who specializes in con- Other stadiums that share parking that a deal will be struck. “I still feel it’s demnation law. for their football and baseball teams include Kansas City, Mo., Baltimore Royals professional baseball team, said But the issue may come down to and Seattle. that after sharing a 25,000-car parking more than just land. In Seattle, the professional football lot for more than 30 years with the pro- “This isn’t about space and land, it’s and baseball teams share downtown fessional football team, the teams know about available sales tax money and the parking space. Brian Surratt, public they can almost never have a game on right election date,” said a consultant affairs manager for Qwest Field, where the same day. knowledgeable about the negotiations. the Seattle Seahawks professional foot- “That presents a number of logistical The Cowboys are “desperate” for a ball team plays, said the two teams issues that are not fun to deal with,” he November election, the consultant said. agree to allow at least a four hours said. “It gets challenging moving out between football and baseball games. 24,000 vehicles for a football game and Chris Richardson, the director of then bringing in 10,000 to 18,000 for a event operations for the Kansas City baseball game.”.