ARLINGTON – The city's own suite at AT&T Stadium remains more of a personal perk for its politicians rather than a tool for economic development.
"It's not being used effectively, and it is too valuable of an asset to let go to waste," said Bill Snider, a former councilman and past president of the Arlington Sports Authority.
Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, gave the city a suite in 2009 after it successfully lured the team from Irving.
News 8 looked at lists of everyone who got tickets to the city's suite over the last five years. Two-thirds at almost every event are councilmembers, the mayor, and their spouses.
Leftover passes - usually about nine - go to city staff members, and they do invite business leaders and company representatives.
But one well-known businessman who attended told News 8 privately that local leaders do anything but economic development there.
"I'm kicking a gift horse in the mouth, but something needs to be done about it," he said. News 8 agreed not to use his name, since he still does business in the community.
But Snider, a former councilman who also used to run Arlington's Sports Authority, agreed to speak publicly.
"This is not a good use of city property," he explained. "It's not for their personal benefit and entertainment. It's not a perk for being an elected official."
More than five years after the stadium opened, a short drive up and down the Collins Street corridor reveals not much has changed. Vacant lots, a car wash, a pawn shop, and a convenience store sit right outside the NFL stadium.
Development simply has not followed the Cowboys to Arlington.
Mayor Robert Cluck brokered the deal to bring the Cowboys to Arlington. News 8 wanted to ask him about the use of the suite, but the city said he was unavailable all day. News 8 even offered to interview him on Friday, but the city said he would not be available then, either.
City councilman Charlie Parker said use of the suite is a perk for elected officials, but he didn't want to be interviewed for this story.
Still, the city insists it has scored with its suite. Aetna, helicopter maker Agusta Westland, and developers RioCan all expanded in Arlington after being courted at the stadium, a spokesman said.
But the fact is, work remains on building up the Collins Street corridor, which leads to the lingering question of who really benefits from the city's golden asset.
