Bloomberg reports that Kraft paid the city of Irving, Texas $75,000 to sponsor the demolition, using it to promote its Cheddar Explosion macaroni and cheese product. An 11-year-old boy pressed the trigger to start the demolition after winning a competition held by the company, bringing down four million pounds of concrete, two million pounds of steel and a banner reading “Demolicious.”
Irving covered the $6 million cost of the demolition partly out of $15 million raised in levies on game tickets and parking during the Cowboys’ final three seasons at the venue. Sightseers were charged $25 each for access to a car park with 5,000 spaces for prime viewing. The event was broadcast live on a dedicated website on the internet and by four local television stations.
The Texas Stadium had been built for $35 million and opened on September 17, 1971. The Cowboys moved to their new 100,000-capacity stadium in Dallas at the end of the 2008-09 season.
