Arlington Council Approves Cowboys Lease Changes 7-2: Extension to 2055 Still Needs State Sign-Off
The city council of Arlington, in Tarrant County, Texas, voted 7-2 on October 21 to approve changes to the proposed extension of the Dallas Cowboys' lease of AT&T Stadium. Council members Nikkie Hunter, representing District 3, and Bowie Hogg, representing District 7, voted against the changes; both had also voted against the original lease extension.
City Manager Trey Yelverton told the council the changes came after consultation with bond attorneys and the Texas Attorney General's Office and clarify what the city and the team are each responsible for funding. "Our dollars go to maintenance and operation dollars, and the team's dollars go into improvements," he said.
Under the original agreement approved in April, the Cowboys' lease of the city-owned stadium would be extended to 2055, with the city reimbursing the team up to $273 million in stadium improvements from venue taxes, while the Cowboys remain obligated to fund and complete the improvements by 2043. The deal has not been finalized: according to Tarrant County civil court documents, the city still needs to meet all closing conditions and get the Texas Attorney General's Office to sign off on the deal.
In June, Arlington attorney Warren Norred filed suit against the city on behalf of Voters' Voice of Arlington, asking the court to rule the agreement illegal. The city's motion to dismiss was unsuccessful, and 141st District Court Judge John Chupp has scheduled the first day of a non-jury trial for May 31, 2027.
The city announced in August 2025 that it was paying off the original loan for the stadium's construction a decade early, but the special venue taxes approved by 55% of voters in 2004 are still in effect.
(GSM, based on reporting by KERA News)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: AT&T Stadium（资料图）/ AT&T Stadium (file photo), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
