City Council Rejects $800k for ESPN to Host Heart of Dallas Bowl Game at Cotton Bowl

The Heart of Dallas Bowl still has a pulse, but it no longer has taxpayer dollars to keep it alive.The City Council's Quality of Life, Arts & Culture Committee on Monday rejected paying $800,000 to ESPN over two years to keep the sparsely attended football game alive. Committee members said they're not totally turning down the game, which is one of the few football games held every year at the 92,000-capacity Cotton Bowl Stadium. But the council members want a better deal with the sports network."This bowl game is not good for the city of Dallas in its current form," said council member Mark Clayton, who previously worked in the sports marketing industry.ESPN did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.The money, which is split among the competing teams, would have come out of the city's parks budget.  Continue reading...