By Bill Zeeble, KERA reporter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-590656.mp3
Arlington & Dallas TX – Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter: The Memphis call from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck was brief, & effective.
Jerry Jones: 48/24 Hey Bob? Hello Jerry. 148/28 Gather your butt up, we're going to have a Super Bowl! WHOOOOOOOO.
Cluck: Thanks Jerry, thnx for calling. I knew we'd get it.
Jones: Ha ha. I'm glad you did! (laughter)
Zeeble: Jones praised Mayor Cluck, saying the doctors' support for voter- approved funding of the stadium now being built was the reason why team owners picked North Texas. Cluck in turn told reporters the praise belonged to the entire regional effort. North Texas beat Arizona and Indianapolis for the game.
Doctor Robert Cluck, Arlington Mayor: 157/58 This bid was a huge effort. Our bid was way ahead of Indaianapolis' bid in terms of quality and seating ability.
Zeeble: The new stadium's expected to seat 93 thousand. For the Super Bowl, that could rise to above a hundred thousand. Meanwhile, a Super Bowl Committee will be picked to raise 8 to 10 million dollars. An equal amount's expected from the state. Cluck said he also hopes the legislature will grant Arlington taxing ability for a rail transit measure. But he'll first need Arlington residents to finally approve a public transportation item, which they've rejected 3 times before. Finally, he reiterated that this win shows what can happen when all municipalities work together. That message was echoed in Fort Worth, and Dallas, where city council member Steve Salazar called this an opportunity for a regional partnership.
Steve Salazar, Dallas City Council Member: 170/19 If we do it right the first time we can hope to duplicate it several times. Many other cities have held Super Bowls on more than one occasion. [170/39 The impact is going to be a regional impact that as the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area grows, then Dallas Fort Worth and other cities will also continue to grow and reap some of those benefits ]
Zeeble: Salazar, who some months back called Dallas the 800 pound gorilla that needed to benefit from this- said the city got its banana for the day. City Manager Mary Suhm estimated the payoff to Dallas alone could be 400 million dollars.
Bid Chairman Roger Staubach, former Cowboys super star, pro football hall of famer and now a successful businessman, said the payoff to him was more personal, because he launched his first successful career in the NFL .
Roger Staubach: 903 If given the chance, I wanted to pay the NFL back by chairing/getting the committee to host the heck out of the Super Bowl for them and everyone else 913
Zeeble: Now, Staubach and thousands of North Texanss will work to make that happen. For KERA 90.1 I'm Bill Zeeble
Bzeeble@Kera.Org