A grand new era for a grand old stadium

Today’s Cotton Bowl Stadium is an exciting sports venue that is larger and more sophisticated than ever before.

A $57 million makeover in the 2000s has resulted in an arena that is the ninth largest football stadium in the United States, with 92,100 seats.

There are twice as many restrooms and concession stands as before. The upper and lower decks in both end zones now feature wall-to-wall restrooms and concession stands. Meanwhile, fans can now walk the entire inside perimeter of the stadium, thanks to a new upper deck that wraps 360 degrees without a barrier.

A three-story structure above the players' tunnel at the end of the stadium now features the coaches' locker room. A media room accommodating 250 people has replaced the tent that used to serve as the working space for reporters.

To improve crowd flow, the stadium also features one larger entrance gate opposite of the tunnel entrance and four, large stair-tower entrances where the old part of the stadium adjoins the new section.

Some things about the Cotton Bowl stadium haven’t changed, however. It still offers the excitement of the Red River Rivalry between the University of Texas football team and the University of Oklahoma football team. Not to mention the energy and showmanship found in the battles waged by the football teams and marching bands of Grambling State University and Prairie View A&M University in the Southwest Airlines State Fair Classic.

The Cotton Bowl may not be a new stadium – but it is a stadium with a new excitement and vitality. Take this tour of our Stadium for the 21st Century.

You’ll find it in the center of Fair Park, near the radio tower.

• Read about the Cotton Bowl’s glorious history