Dallas City Council has approved an additional $65 million in funding further to renovate Fair Park’s iconic Cotton Bowl Stadium.
According to recent reports, this latest infusion of funds is part of a larger $140 million renovation project to modernize the historic venue. The project’s “completion” date is projected for fall 2025.
The newly approved funds will mainly focus on enhancements to the west side of the 94-year-old stadium.
Planned improvements include upgrading restrooms and concession areas (with more new dining options), adding more elevators/escalators, and making significant upgrades to general mechanical, plumbing, and security systems that have seen some heavy wear and tear from the nearly century-old history of the stadium. In addition, the renovations will also expand the venue’s entrance gates and accesses and add more seats while implementing improved Wi–Fi connectivity, reported The Dallas Morning News.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, renovations began in March, and the latest funding will build on the earlier investments and plans. This includes a $145,000 contract awarded in December to construction firms JE Dunn and H.J. Russell & Company and an additional $52.9 million approved in February.
Additional renovation funding will come from a 2% increase in hotel occupancy taxes, which Dallas voters approved in 2022, per DX.
The tax hike is expected to generate $1.5 billion over the next 30 years. Of that amount, $300 million is allocated for improvements at the Cotton Bowl and five other Fair Park venues, with the remaining $1.2 billion earmarked for a new downtown convention center.
Renovations on the east side of the Cotton Bowl are anticipated to start in 2030 at the earliest.
In December, both universities agreed to extend their contract to hold the game at the Cotton Bowl through 2036, according to a report from Sooner Sports. The previous contract was set to end after the 2025 game.
However, according to DMN, the extension also includes some strict provisions that could terminate the deal if the City fails to complete the first phase of renovations by September 2026 or if a viable plan for the second phase isn’t presented by September 2030, with a completion deadline of September 2034.
Under the new agreement, the City, the State Fair of Texas, and VisitDallas will collectively pay the universities around $1.5 million annually as a hosting fee — $500,000 each from the City and $225,000 each from the State Fair and VisitDallas.
Additionally, the State Fair will contribute $40,000 yearly for the right to sell concessions at the Cotton Bowl.