kepdawg
05-09-2007, 12:37 AM
Cowboys' Jones wooing Texas Tech
Miller voices displeasure after Jones sells his new stadium in Lubbock
12:17 AM CDT on Wednesday, May 9, 2007
By BRIAN DAVIS / The Dallas Morning News
brdavis@dallasnews.com
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones flew to Lubbock on Monday and met with Texas Tech officials to give them a sense of what the team's new stadium will look like upon its completion in 2009.
The message was clear: If Tech is going to play Oklahoma State or anyone else in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, forget the Cotton Bowl. Mr. Jones wants the game in Arlington.
Mr. Jones did not initiate specific negotiations to move any Tech home game from Jones AT&T Stadium to Arlington, athletic director Gerald Myers said. But Mr. Jones' move got Tech officials thinking, and Dallas Mayor Laura Miller is practically steaming.
"Jerry just came out here to show us the plans and show us what the project would be when it's finished," Mr. Myers said. "I'm sure we'll be talking some more. But we didn't set up any time to talk or anything else at this point."
Ms. Miller expressed disappointment Tuesday when told about the meeting. She said she met with Mr. Jones' son, Stephen, about a year and a half ago and pleaded with the team to let Dallas work on bringing games to the Cotton Bowl without the team's interference.
"I said, 'Guys, every time we talk to a school, you call the schools right behind us,' " Ms. Miller said. "I'd like them to just let us get our four weeks of college football. They said the Cotton Bowl was an old, antiquated stadium and nobody wants to play there.
"This just doesn't seem to be in the spirit of regional cooperation. We're helping them with their Super Bowl bid."
Mr. Jones was unavailable for comment Tuesday.
Tech associate athletic director Craig Wells attended the meeting and said the talks were very informal. Mr. Jones showed a marketing DVD that featured a computer-generated look inside the facility. But there was no doubt as to Mr. Jones' intentions.
"He basically said, 'I kid you not, if you're going to do the Oklahoma State game, I wish you would consider doing it in Cowboys Stadium,' " Mr. Wells said.
Mr. Myers said Mr. Jones flew two former members of the Tech board of regents – Jim Sowell and Alan White – to Lubbock with him. Greg McElroy, the Cowboys' vice president of sales and marketing, also attended the meeting.
The meeting lasted about two hours. Before Mr. Jones and Mr. McElroy left town, they met briefly with Tech Chancellor Kent Hance.
The meeting in Lubbock was not planned in advance, Mr. Myers said.
On Thursday, The News reported that Dallas city leaders were close to finalizing a deal that would bring Tech and Oklahoma State to the Cotton Bowl. The Big 12 matchup would be played in conjunction with the State Fair of Texas, most likely in 2008 and 2009.
Mr. Myers indicated the story might have prompted Mr. Jones to fly to Lubbock and showcase what his stadium will offer.
"I think that probably was kind of a little incentive to come out and talk to us," Mr. Myers said. "But I don't know whether he's talked to anybody else or not. He just wants us to see what he's got and think about playing a game there."
Mr. Myers said talks about moving the Tech-OSU game have not progressed since last week.
Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder said he has not met with Mr. Jones and does not have any similar meeting in the coming days.
Staff writer Dave Levinthal contributed to this report.
Miller voices displeasure after Jones sells his new stadium in Lubbock
12:17 AM CDT on Wednesday, May 9, 2007
By BRIAN DAVIS / The Dallas Morning News
brdavis@dallasnews.com
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones flew to Lubbock on Monday and met with Texas Tech officials to give them a sense of what the team's new stadium will look like upon its completion in 2009.
The message was clear: If Tech is going to play Oklahoma State or anyone else in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, forget the Cotton Bowl. Mr. Jones wants the game in Arlington.
Mr. Jones did not initiate specific negotiations to move any Tech home game from Jones AT&T Stadium to Arlington, athletic director Gerald Myers said. But Mr. Jones' move got Tech officials thinking, and Dallas Mayor Laura Miller is practically steaming.
"Jerry just came out here to show us the plans and show us what the project would be when it's finished," Mr. Myers said. "I'm sure we'll be talking some more. But we didn't set up any time to talk or anything else at this point."
Ms. Miller expressed disappointment Tuesday when told about the meeting. She said she met with Mr. Jones' son, Stephen, about a year and a half ago and pleaded with the team to let Dallas work on bringing games to the Cotton Bowl without the team's interference.
"I said, 'Guys, every time we talk to a school, you call the schools right behind us,' " Ms. Miller said. "I'd like them to just let us get our four weeks of college football. They said the Cotton Bowl was an old, antiquated stadium and nobody wants to play there.
"This just doesn't seem to be in the spirit of regional cooperation. We're helping them with their Super Bowl bid."
Mr. Jones was unavailable for comment Tuesday.
Tech associate athletic director Craig Wells attended the meeting and said the talks were very informal. Mr. Jones showed a marketing DVD that featured a computer-generated look inside the facility. But there was no doubt as to Mr. Jones' intentions.
"He basically said, 'I kid you not, if you're going to do the Oklahoma State game, I wish you would consider doing it in Cowboys Stadium,' " Mr. Wells said.
Mr. Myers said Mr. Jones flew two former members of the Tech board of regents – Jim Sowell and Alan White – to Lubbock with him. Greg McElroy, the Cowboys' vice president of sales and marketing, also attended the meeting.
The meeting lasted about two hours. Before Mr. Jones and Mr. McElroy left town, they met briefly with Tech Chancellor Kent Hance.
The meeting in Lubbock was not planned in advance, Mr. Myers said.
On Thursday, The News reported that Dallas city leaders were close to finalizing a deal that would bring Tech and Oklahoma State to the Cotton Bowl. The Big 12 matchup would be played in conjunction with the State Fair of Texas, most likely in 2008 and 2009.
Mr. Myers indicated the story might have prompted Mr. Jones to fly to Lubbock and showcase what his stadium will offer.
"I think that probably was kind of a little incentive to come out and talk to us," Mr. Myers said. "But I don't know whether he's talked to anybody else or not. He just wants us to see what he's got and think about playing a game there."
Mr. Myers said talks about moving the Tech-OSU game have not progressed since last week.
Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder said he has not met with Mr. Jones and does not have any similar meeting in the coming days.
Staff writer Dave Levinthal contributed to this report.