When originally announced by franchise owner Jerry Jones in 2004, the plans for a new stadium for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys carried a price tag of $650 million dollars. The financing sources included: $325 million dollars to be generated by sales tax increases in Arlington, TX; a $76 million dollar loan from the NFL; and funds raised by the Dallas Cowboys through the now imploded auction-rate securities market. Though 
scheduled to be ready for the 2009 NFL season, on October 27th, 2008, Jerry Jones hosted a variety of banks at the new stadium in an attempt to raise an additional $350 million dollars in financing to complete the project.
The bottom line is that many factors have changed since Jerry Jones initiated this project. Jerry Jones is not alone as every business in the world faces challenges caused by recent events in the energy and financial markets. Though the price tag for the new stadium has spiraled from $650 million dollars to well over $1 billion dollars, Jones cannot be blamed for not doing his job. Jerry Jones has brought the right football and coaching talent to the Dallas Cowboys in preparation for the 2009 season. Furthermore, he has solicited the right events to take place in the near future in a stadium that is capable of holding over 100,000 spectators. Still, uncontrollable factors such as rising materials cost and an all but evaporated appetite for corporate sponsorship has left Jerry Jones in a pickle. Jerry Jones now finds himself in the same predicament that many businesses are in due to a tough economic environment. To summarize, Jerry Jones is short of the cash needed to finish this project.
Regardless of the automotive makers debauchery on Capital Hill and the collapse of banks across the nation, I argue that this country cannot allow the The Dallas Cowboys to become the next institutional victim of the credit crisis. If this stadium deal were to take the Dallas Cowboys down with it, the negative impact would ripple across industries throughout the United States including: private jet manufacturing, criminal defense attorneys, small body art parlors in every state, and the entire gentlemen’s club & cabaret industry.
As a nation, we have no choice but to include the Dallas Cowboys’ short term financial crunch into the $700 billion dollar bail out package. Bailing out the Dallas Cowboys has a much higher return potential than injecting money into automakers and buying underwater mortgage-backed securities. The notion only creates one unanswered question: If the United States government bails out Jerry Jones, what will we be the name of the new stadium?
Option #1 – Yes We Can Field
Barack Obama all but neglected the State of Texas during the 2008 election as the state has a long history of supporting republican candidates. Even with a successful first term, Obama would struggle to secure votes in the State of Texas unless he made huge campaign investments that would come at an opportunity cost of other swing states. If his administration bails out Jerry Jones, however, he would get a free advertising opportunity for at least four years.
Below is an artist’s rendering of what Yes We Can Field might look like. You can bet this picture didn’t make Mr. Jone’s photoblog. Click on the image to view full screen.
Option #2 – Fannie Mae Field
Barack Obama is not the type of president to take advantage. Thus, option number 1 is likely not a possibility. However, to improve his administration’s investment potential in another bailed out company, he could choose to handpick a corporate sponsor. Fannie Mae could be that sponsor.
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Option #3 – Jerry Jones Field
Move over Frank Sinatra.
The new stadium is Jerry’s baby. Some consider it his legacy to The City of Dallas and The Dallas Cowboys. Maybe if Jerry Jones made Sinatra-like promises to Obama’s 2012 campaign to ensure the automotive workers union in the State of Texas (UA 276) voted for Obama in 2012, the President just might make Jerry’s real dream come true.
While Cowboys legends defined by ego like Michael Irvin and Terrell Owens might see this as a great idea and cause for celebration, other Cowboys blue bloods like Troy Aikman and Tom Landry could take exception. Jerry, of course, would be partying and dancing like it’s 1993.
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What do you think?
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screw all you haters. what? can’t stand the truth that the Cowboys are America’s Team and that they generate more revenue for the NFL than any other franchise? get used to it. in fact, you haters are a big part of the Cowboys’ revenue generating machine; you tune in to watch them lose. which, is what they have done lately in big games, but still you tune in to watch. You either love ‘em or hate ‘em, but you are always talking about ‘em. Go Big D!!
Your a dumb ass, and that is putting is nicely. They have almost sold over 85% of the seats in the new stadium, its almost done.
What about Tom Landry Stadium? The new stadium IS on IH-30 AKA Tom Landry Highway! But would Jerry’s big ego allow it?
AT&T will name the new stadium.
So, in response to the individual who called me a DUMBASS. What part of infrastructure financing don’t you understand? Am I a dumb ass because Jerry really wasn’t scrambling to find the financing? Maybe I am a dumbass because because I forced so many people to vote on this and they, NOT ME, didn’t like the Cowboys? Or maybe I’m just ignorant because my lack of understanding of how 85% of one season’s worth of tickets will equate to $300M.
Unlike you who hid behind a fake name and fake email, I’ll stand behind what I wrote. I approved your comment and responded.
Thanks to the individual who came forward with the AT&T response. Thankfully for the Cowboys their situation is starting to clarify. I do like the Cowboys; not a big Jerry fan, however.
I think the new stadium should be called Cowboys Stadium.