Members of the Dallas City Council approved an extension to keep the annual Red River Showdown in Fair Park for another decade.
The yearly matchup between the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma is held every October at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Fair Park during the State Fair of Texas. The fair also hosts the annual State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl featuring Grambling and Prairie View A&M.
The new agreement will pay UT and OU $500,000 each year and keep the game in Dallas through 2036.
"There's no question about the economic generator that the Texas-OU game brings to our city," said Dallas City Councilman Adam Bazaldua. "It is not only a historic institution being held in the city of Dallas at Fair Park, it's also one that provides a lot of economic impact and revenue to our city's hospitality industry, hotel and tourism and then of course to our city with our HOT tax that we get from that."
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The deal also includes $140 million in improvements to the 93-year-old Art Deco stadium. Improvements will include widening concourses and adding escalators, renovations to concessions and restrooms, and increasing the number of hospitality areas and premium environments. The first phase of renovations, to the west side of the stadium, is to be completed by September 2026. A second phase of significant renovations to the east side of the stadium is to be completed by September 2034.
The current deal was set through 2025.
The game last fall was the last showdown as members of the Big 12. Both Texas and Oklahoma are joining the SEC beginning with the 2024-25 season. This year's Red River Showdown will be held on Oct. 12.
