On June 6, 2009, Cowboys Stadium in Arlington hosted its inaugural event—a concert featuring country music stars George Strait, Reba McEntire, and Blake Shelton, drawing over 60,000 people.

Cowboys Stadium, a few weeks before opening night
Fort Worth Star-Telegram – June 5, 2009

At the time, it was one of the largest events ever held in Arlington. While virtually every Dallas Cowboys home game since has drawn more, and those aren’t even the “big” events, the opening atmosphere was electric. The sold-out crowd was amazed by the stadium’s sheer size and modern amenities. Some fans drove for hours to attend the party. A mixture of cowboy boots and Cowboys jerseys dotted the crowd, with celebrities and civilians alike attending.

George Strait, one of the great icons of country music, packed plenty of timeless songs into his set making the night unforgettable. About halfway through, Strait began a chant for Jerry Jones to open the roof. Though Jones surely isn’t the one to actually press the button, the roof soon began to retract, unveiling a blast of warm, nighttime air and the Texas stars above. Jones watched the concert from his suite, likely quite satisfied when it opened on cue.

George Strait performs at Cowboys Stadium – June 6, 2009
Fort Worth Star-Telegram – June 7, 2009

Overall, opening night went fairly smoothly. A few hiccups aside—an hour-long wait for margaritas, a shortage of straws, and absent air-conditioning in some places—the event was viewed as a massive success. Traffic was manageable, though heavy and congested. The stadium survived its first test.

A few months later, the Cowboys played their first game there, ushering in a new era for the team and Arlington.

Since then, Cowboys Stadium—renamed AT&T Stadium in 2013—has hosted an incredible array of events, becoming an integral part of Arlington’s identity, tourism, and skyline.

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Blog post by Jason S. Sullivan, 06-06-2026