The ground shook from the explosions and clouds of dust rolled across the city as the building collapsed neatly in stages from one side to the other. The almost 40-year history of the stadium ended in about one minute.
Casey Rogers, an 11-year-old from Terrell, Texas, hit the detonator that ignited the 2,715 pounds of explosives used to buckle the iconic National Football League venue. Ignition duty was Rogers' prize for winning an essay contest held by Kraft Foods, which paid the Dallas suburb of Irving, Texas, the stadium's owner, $75,000 to sponsor the implosion. The company used the event to promote its Cheddar Explosion macaroni and cheese product.
The silver-and-blue, 65,639-seat stadium with the hole in its domed roof was state-of-the-art when it opened in 1971. Last year, after 37 seasons, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones moved the team to the new $1.15 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which can accommodate 100,000 fans.
The Cowboys posted a 219-99 record while at Texas Stadium, including 16 post-season victories.
The $6 million demolition was paid with some of the $15 million in fees the city levied on game tickets and parking during the Cowboys' final three seasons in Irving, Mayor Herbert Gears said. Irving plans to redevelop the 80-acre site in the heart of the Dallas metropolitan area.