The City Council Meeting on April 21 will determine whether $273M in public funds is committed to keeping the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium through 2055.

The proposed agreement would see the Cowboys invest at least $750M into maintenance, operations, and improvements at the complex. The city is contributing up to $273M over 20 years, funded through existing venue taxes.

Per Carlos Turcios of The Dallas Express, “The item calls for approval of "a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a Master Agreement Regarding Cowboys Stadium Extension between Cowboys Stadium L.P., Dallas Cowboys Football Club, L.T.D., and the City of Arlington." 

The question of whether voters deserve a direct say has become the major debate about such allocation of funds. And Warren Norred of Norred Law PLLC did not mince words in a Facebook post.

"[The council is] looking to give new dollars to the Cowboys without voter approval, based on the idea that the voters already approved this money", Norred noted. "We'll see if the council thinks that is a good idea… then we may see if the courts agree. Here's hoping that our council has more respect for the voters than this."

And formally, the Cowboys' lease extension appears on the City Council for April 21 as Item 11.1 under Construction of Resolutions. 

Speaking to the Star-Telegram recently, Norred issued a direct warning, saying:

"The fight is, Are they going to fool themselves into thinking that this means that they can do whatever they want forever? If this theory is right, then they never have to go back to the City Council, to the voters, for any permission for any new bonds concerning a stadium", Norred added to the Star-Telegram.

He threatened legal action if the council approves the proposal without a referendum.

But, Arlington Mayor Jim Ross has been consistent in his defence of not seeking voter approval. 

"Here's the reality," Ross said. "We've already been approved by the voters." 

He maintains the city is simply operating within the framework that Arlington residents authorized back in 2004, when they approved the half-cent sales tax that originally funded the stadium's construction.

The broader debate over the use of taxpayer money has raised concerns among legal observers, many of whom oppose the funding approach, not the team itself.

More Voices That Disagree With No Voting Policy For This Deal 

Warren Norred has been one of the most vocal critics throughout this process, but there are more who disagree with the exclusion of voting.

Councilmember Bowie Hogg, while supportive of the extension itself, acknowledged the tension.

According to CBS News, Hogg said that such allocation is "a good thing for the city", stating the partnership will be continued through 2055.

"I think the big question is how we say yes. I think the citizens should have a say in this", he added, per CBS News.

Mayoral candidate Steve Cavender has also stepped into the debate, raising concerns over public funds.

"Any proposal involving taxpayer dollars should be transparent, fully vetted, and ultimately decided by the voters," Cavender said, per Brittany Costello of WFAA.com

The agreement outlines upgrades covering security, pedestrian safety, and event operations, all to be completed by 2043. The Cowboys would pay improvement costs upfront and draw reimbursements from the city's account over time.

Do you think voting should be mandated for such a massive investment?

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi