6AM City In-house

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AT&T Stadium plans $295 million upgrade ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
FTW-AT&T Stadium-DEC
There’s no timeline for when the updates will start and finish. | Photo by the City of Arlington
Jerry World is getting some major upgrades ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to a report from Sports Business Journal, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones plans to spend close to $300 million to upgrade AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Dallas — or should we say Arlington — was named one of 11 host cities for the FIFA World Cup 2026 with AT&T Stadium being a primary venue for the fútbol championship games. As reported, the refresh won’t “radically change the general look and feel” but rather will upgrade technology, premium spaces, and back-of-house services.

Other changes include expanding the playing surface to meet FIFA guidelines. According to FIFA regulations, the field must be 115 yards long and 75 yards across. For comparison, the Cowboy’s field is about 120 yards long (including the end zones) and 50 yards wide.

In order to add additional space, the field level will be raised 15 feet to accommodate a wider playing surface, meaning some of the lower-level seating will be cut off. The 100,000-seat venue is still expected to hold about 90,000 fans.

To help pay for the renovations, the Cowboys are meeting with other NFL owners this week to ask for permission to withhold their regular contributions to shared gate revenue — a common method for financing NFL stadium upgrades. The Cowboys will also seek a waiver for the NFL’s usual $600 million team debt limit.

Since AT&T Stadium opened nearly 15 years ago, it has become a world-class venue for sports and entertainment. Here’s a look back at some of the biggest events:
  • Super Bowl XLV in 2011
  • NBA All-Star game in 2010
  • WrestleMania
  • 2014 NCAA Final Four
  • Big 12 Football Championship (2009-2025)
6AM City In-house

Click here to have your event featured.

Wednesday, Dec. 14
  • The Holly Wine Dinner | Wednesday, Dec. 14 | 6:30 p.m. | Tinie’s Mexican Cuisine, 113 S. Main St., Fort Worth | $80 | Enjoy a three-course dinner and wine pairing with chefs from Tinie’s and bottles from The Holly.
Thursday, Dec. 15
  • The Nutcracker | Thursday, Dec. 15-Saturday, Dec. 24 | Times vary | Bass Performance Hall, 525 Commerce St., Fort Worth | $55-135 | See the iconic Waltz of Flowers and the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy during this fairy tale adventure.
Friday, Dec. 16
  • Book Signing | Friday, Dec. 16 | 4-7 p.m. | The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel, 200 Main St., Fort Worth | Free | Fort Worth native and author Celestina Blok will be signing copies of her new book, “100 Things to Do in Fort Worth Before You Die.”
Saturday, Dec. 17
  • Holiday Donations | Saturday, Dec. 17 | 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Locations vary | Free | The Fort Worth Fire Department is opening stations across the city as drop-off locations for new or gently used cold-weather attire, including jackets, hats, scarves, and gloves.
Sunday, Dec. 18
  • Sip N Shop | Sunday, Dec. 18 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Ampersand, 3009 Bledsoe St., Fort Worth | Cost of purchase | Sip on a holiday cocktail or coffee while shopping for gifts from local vendors.
  • Annual Christmas Brunch | Sunday, Dec. 18 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | The Bearded Lady, 300 S. Main St., Fort Worth | Cost of purchase | Dress in your favorite Christmas pajamas to ring in the holidays with friends and family. Bonus: guests can enjoy a free build-your-own hot chocolate bar.
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS

A recap of first-time home buying in 2022
Young family sits at kitchen table to eat pizza.
Despite the time, emotional energy + effort it takes, the dream of home ownership hasn’t waned for newcomers. | Photo provided by Opendoor
Before we ring in 2023, we’re taking a look back at how 2022 shaped up for first-time home buyers, by the numbers:
  • The average first-time home buyer toured 24 homes in person or virtually (up from 15 in 2021).
  • Half of first-time buyers said they made offers on five or more homes before winning one (respondents averaged 12 offers apiece).
  • 69% say they are confident they found the best home for them in the market.
  • 58% said the home search was “much more time-consuming than expected."*
LESSONS LEARNED

Weather
  • 58º | Partly cloudy | 0% chance of rain
Open
  • Captain D’s — a Nashville-based seafood restaurant — is now open in southwest Fort Worth at 8514 Highway 80 W. The fast-casual chain is known for its high-quality seafood serving up fish platters, sandwiches, and gumbo. 🐟
  • North Texas’ beloved Soulman’s Bar-B-Que has finally expanded to Fort Worth with its 19th location at 4500 Sycamore School Rd. The award-winning barbecue restaurant is serving up smoked meats, St. Louis-style rib racks, and homemade sides. Stop by daily from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. 🍖
Development
  • JPS Health Network broke ground on the new Medical Home Southwest Tarrant last week. The facility, located at the intersection of Mesa Springs Drive and Granbury Road, will include primary care and address the socioeconomic needs of the community. More medical developments are on the way. 🏗️
Closing
  • The Table Market and Culinary Studio is closing its doors for good on Sunday, Jan. 1. The studio taught cooking classes and held dinners for the last three years at 120 St. Louis Ave. Check out the remaining classes. 🍴
Tech
  • Clevon, an electric robot courier, performed its first autonomous delivery at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport. The robot traveled 3.6 miles to deliver meals from O’Neill’s Inflight Catering to Alliance Aviation Services team members. Watch Clevon in action. 🤖
Plan Ahead
  • Spend an evening with actor Scoot McNairy at TX Whiskey on Monday, Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m. Scoot will chat about his career in Hollywood, life outside of acting, and growing up in Dallas. A $25 ticket includes two cocktails and light bites. 🥃
Health
  • Holiday cheer isn’t the only thing spreading this season. The CDC reported “very high” flu activity in our state this season. Find a flu vaccine near you — there may even be a needleless option. (Verywell Health)
Feel Good
Shop
  • What gifts are on the radar this season? City Editor Kate is ready to get comfortable in this Beach Sundae chair, and City Editor Rebecca is ready to serve delicious food on these melamine dessert plates. Shop these unique gifts + more at our online shop Six & Main. 🛍️
Travel
  • How does Scott’s Cheap Flights work? Sign up for free, follow up to five airports, and Scott’s will notify you when flights are 40-90% off. Bonus: You can browse deals immediately after signing up (like a $300+ round trip to Bermuda). 🌴*
Real Estate
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A tree-mendous Christmas tradition 🎄

Cowtown’s annual Christmas tree lighting tradition
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A photo from the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony in 1952. | FW Star-Telegram Collection/ UTA Special Collections
The countdown to Christmas has officially begun and trees across the city are shining merry and bright. Downtown’s tree lighting ceremony has marked the beginning of Cowtown’s holiday season for more than 75 years — here’s a look at how the tradition has evolved.

Burnett Park used to be the gathering place for what was known as the Community Christmas Tree. The tradition started in 1947 by Star-Telegram owner Amon Carter Sr. Every December, Amon would send a local reporter to New Mexico to pick out a tree for the annual Star-Telegram Christmas Tree and Music Festival.

The ceremony featured Santa, live music, and kid-friendly entertainment — including a ride on the Leonard Brothers department store Toyland Monorail.

In 1956, the tradition was adopted by the Fort Worth Jaycees and the festivities were later moved to Sundance Square in 2004, where the ceremony takes place today.

Did you take part in the Star-Telegram Christmas tradition? Share your favorite memories with us.
A LOOK BACK IN TIME
6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Rebecca.

Editor’s pick: A hot topic among my friend group at the moment is what we all eat for breakfast on Christmas morning.

For as long as I can remember, my family has eaten cinnamon rolls — exclusively the Mrs. Bairds cinnamon rolls made right here in Fort Worth. They were sadly discontinued and some fans even started a petition to get them back on store shelves. Yes, they’re really that good.

With no word from Mrs. Bairds, I’ve taken on the role of making my family homemade cinnamon rolls every year.

If your family has a special breakfast tradition during the holidays, we want to hear about it. We’ll share some responses in a future newsletter.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Shop our Cowtown-inspired gift guide.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Rebecca McRobbie, Kate Mazade, Dayten Rose, Josh Kranzberg | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Camille McLeod | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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