Texas Stadium imploded by 1-plus ton of dynamite in front of hundreds of fans

Published 10:15 am Monday, April 12, 2010

Texas Stadium is nothing but a memory — and a huge mess.

The longtime home of the Dallas Cowboys — known for the giant hole in its roof, “so God can watch his team,” according to local lore — came tumbling down early Sunday in a planned demolition.

Fireworks shot off above the building for several minutes, then hundreds of fans counted down as 11-year-old Casey Rogers of nearby Terrell, the winner of an essay contest, pushed a button triggering the implosion. More than a ton of dynamite dropped the west side of the building toward the north, the east die toward the south and the roof right on top.

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After about six months of planning, it took less than a minute to turn the concrete and steel stadium into a twisted mess. Cleanup is expected to take until July.

Fans arrived as early as Saturday night for “final tailgate parties” in area parking lots. Others gathered at hotels and office buildings as far as 10 miles away in downtown Dallas, including many former Cowboys players. Local TV stations carried the implosion live. There was even a corporate sponsor.

The Cowboys won all five of their Super Bowl titles while they called Texas Stadium home.