Jerry Jones, controversial billionaire owner of the Dallas Cowboys, wanted the team's new stadium in Arlington, Texas, to really amp up the fan experience. The organization spent $1.2 billion building a massive three-million-sf arena that seats 80,000 (with room for another 20,000) and has more than 300 private suites, some at field level-a first for an NFL stadium.
Jones was aware that only about 7% of NFL fans ever set foot in a stadium-even in football-mad Texas. So when planning began on the Cowboys' new digs in 2003, Jones tasked the Building Team of HKS (architect), Walter P Moore (structural engineer), and Manhattan Construction Co. (GC) with creating a facility that wooed fans with an exceptional game-day experience.
The owner wanted every seat in the house to offer a spectacular view, so the Building Team ruled out super-column supports that would have blocked the action for a few fans. Structural support is instead provided by two steel arches that, at 1,225 feet each, form the world's longest single-span roof structure. The mega-arches' 14,000 tons of steel create 19 million pounds of thrust and necessitated construction of massive subterranean concrete abutments. Each steel arch is anchored to the abutments with custom-cast, 64,000-pound solid-steel pin-bearing assemblies.
The stadium's retractable roof consists of two translucent panels, each measuring 290 feet by 220 feet; it utilizes the first rack and pinion retractable roof drive system in the U.S. The panels are made of a Teflon-coated fiberglass tensile membrane with a photocatalytic titanium dioxide coating that uses sunlight to break down dirt. Each panel travels the length of the arches and then meets at the 50-yard line; when retracted, they create a giant 104,960-sf opening. (The Cowboy's iconic doughnut hole in the roof is evident when panels are closed.) The entire operation takes 12 minutes. Operating at a 23-degree angle, it represents the steepest incline of any retractable roof in the world.
A massive four-sided video scoreboard suspended above the field also bumps up the fan experience a few notches. The custom super-high-def Mitsubishi unit measures 158 feet wide by 71 feet tall-extending from 20-yard line to 20-yard line. The $40 million unit weighs 600 tons and is suspended from the twin arch supports by 11/2-inch-diameter steel wire rope cables.
Utilizing BIM, the Building Team managed 1,500 design change requests from Jones and 300 design revisions with 5,500 drawing clarifications before the stadium opened in June 2009. A thousand visitors a day show up just to tour the facility, which will host Super Bowl XLV next February 6. BD+C
PROJECT SUMMARY
Special Recognition
Dallas Cowboys Stadium
Arlington, Texas
Building Team
Submitting firm: Manhattan Construction Co. (GC)
Owner/developer: Blue Star Development
Architect: HKS
Structural engineer: Walter P Moore
MEP engineer: M-E Engineers Inc.
Related Stories
Warehouses | Mar 29, 2023
Construction completed on Canada’s first multi-story distribution center
Construction was recently completed on Canada’s first major multi-story industrial project, a distribution center in Burnaby, British Columbia. The project provides infrastructure for last-mile delivery in a world where consumers have come to expect next-day and same-day delivery, according to Ware Malcomb, the project's architect of record.
AEC Innovators | Mar 27, 2023
Leading architecture, engineering firm HED appoints new co-CEOs
As children of immigrant families, Van Herle and Suarez will bring a diverse perspective into a historically underrepresented industry and advance the firm’s mission of creating a positive impact for clients, communities, and the world.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 26, 2023
UC Davis Health opens new eye institute building for eye care, research, and training
UC Davis Health recently marked the opening of the new Ernest E. Tschannen Eye Institute Building and the expansion of the Ambulatory Care Center (ACC). Located in Sacramento, Calif., the Eye Center provides eye care, vision research, and training for specialists and investigators. With the new building, the Eye Center’s vision scientists can increase capacity for clinical trials by 50%.
Libraries | Mar 26, 2023
An abandoned T.J. Maxx is transformed into a new public library in Cincinnati
What was once an abandoned T.J. Maxx store in a shopping center is now a vibrant, inviting public library. The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) has transformed the ghost store into the new Deer Park Library, designed by GBBN.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 24, 2023
Multifamily developers offering new car-free projects in car-centric cities
Cities in the South and Southwest have eased zoning rules with parking space mandates in recent years to allow developers to build new housing with less parking.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 24, 2023
Coastal multifamily developers, owners expect huge jump in insurance costs
In Texas and Florida, where Hurricane Ian caused $50 billion in damage last year, insurance costs are nearly 50% higher than in 2022.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 24, 2023
Average size of new apartments dropped sharply in 2022
The average size of new apartments in 2022 dropped sharply in 2022, as tracked by RentCafe. Across the U.S., the average new apartment size was 887 sf, down 30 sf from 2021, which was the largest year-over-year decrease.
Government Buildings | Mar 24, 2023
19 federal buildings named GSA Design Awards winners
After a six-year hiatus, the U.S. General Services Administration late last year resumed its esteemed GSA Design Awards program. In all, 19 federal building projects nationwide were honored with 2022 GSA Design Awards, eight with Honor Awards and 11 with Citations.
Transportation & Parking Facilities | Mar 23, 2023
Amsterdam debuts underwater bicycle parking facility that can accommodate over 4,000 bikes
In February, Amsterdam saw the opening of a new underwater bicycle parking facility. Located in the heart of the city—next to Amsterdam Central Station and under the river IJ (Amsterdam’s waterfront)—the facility, dubbed IJboulevard, has parking spots for over 4,000 bicycles, freeing up space on the street.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 22, 2023
New Jersey’s new surgical tower features state’s first intraoperative MRI system
Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center recently opened its 530,000-sf Helena Theurer Pavilion, a nine-story surgical and intensive care tower designed by RSC Architects and Page. The county’s first hospital, Hackensack University Medical Center, a 781-bed nonprofit teaching and research hospital, was founded in 1888.
