It appears that the Dallas Cowboys will in fact return to Oxnard, Calif., for some portion of 2010 training camp.
The Los Angeles Times reported Monday that the city is nearing a deal with the team that would have Wade Phillips and Co. warming up in Southern California for the fifth time in seven years. Speaking from the NFL spring meetings in Orlando, team vice president and COO Stephen Jones said that the details of the agreement are currently being ironed out; but an announcement seems imminent at this stage.
"There's a good chance we're there," said Jones, per the Los Angeles Times. "We're putting everything to bed."
The split-camp--between Oxnard and San Antonio--is more practical than ever this off-season, as Dallas will play against Cincinnati in the Hall of Fame Game in August, thereby extending training camp by a full week. Jerry Jones has said in the past that Dallas would likely stay in Oxnard from ten days to two weeks, but added that availability may be the greatest determining factor in the length of their stay.
Stephen Jones continued that availability, or a potential lack thereof, was a factor when the team left Oxnard initially, after the 2006 camp. Dallas signed a five-year deal with the city of San Antonio before the 2007 season but returned to Oxnard in 2008, due to a scheduling conflict with the Alamodome.
"The reason we left Oxnard in the first place was they were going to develop that property, and there wasn't going to be a spot anymore," Jones said. "But the economy went the other way and so now the property is still there, and we've always enjoyed our experience out there. … I think it will spice things up, getting outside in that cool, fresh air. Obviously, we're not at a point to announce [the deal], but we're fired up about it."
