Feb 27, 2007, 20:10 GMT
Dallas, TX - The annual Cotton Bowl game is changing venues and will move to the new stadium being built for the NFL's Dallas Cowboys in nearby Arlington.
The move was approved unanimously in a vote by the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association's Board of Directors on Tuesday morning.
'As anyone can imagine, this decision was difficult, but after completing our due diligence, we determined that a move to the new stadium would remove all weather concerns, keep us competitive in a changing college postseason landscape and provide a world-class facility for our partners, the players and fans,' said Cotton Bowl Athletic Association Chairman Bruce Gadd in a statement.
The New Year's classic has been played at the venerable Cotton Bowl stadium in Dallas since 1937, but will move to the new building for the January 2010 game.
'This is one of the most important decisions in the 71-year history of the AT&T Cotton Bowl,' Gadd added. 'Moving the Classic preserves the Classic's legacy and, at the same time, secures its future as one of college football's best postseason bowl games.'
The Cotton Bowl has lost some of its luster in recent years since it has not been included in the Bowl Championship Series games, but the move to a new building could make it more attractive if a fifth BCS venue is added.
'With the world's greatest sporting venue coming on line in North Texas, this is a tremendous opportunity we absolutely must take for the future of our game,' said CBAA president Rick Baker. 'We intend to do everything in our power to position our game to its rightful place as one of America's premier bowl games.'
The new stadium, which has an estimated cost of $1 billion, will have a retractable roof and is scheduled to open in 2009.
© 2007 The Sports Network
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