Frisco used to be just another sleepy suburb north of Dallas. Then Jerry Jones showed up. When the Dallas Cowboys moved their entire world from Irving to the $1.5 billion development known as The Star, the centerpiece wasn't a shopping mall or a fancy hotel—it was a 12,000-seat indoor stadium. Ford Center at The Star is a bit of a weird bird in the best way possible. It’s a practice facility, a high school football cathedral, and a corporate event space all rolled into one massive, glass-clad structure. Honestly, if you walk through the doors expecting a typical NFL training camp vibe, you’re going to be surprised.
It feels more like a tech campus than a football field.
The partnership between the City of Frisco, the Frisco Independent School District (FISD), and the Cowboys is the secret sauce here. Most NFL teams build private fortresses. They hide behind high fences and "no photos" signs. Jerry Jones did the exact opposite. He built a 91-acre campus and put a stadium right in the middle of it that the local kids get to use. Think about that for a second. High schoolers are playing on the same turf where Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons practice.
The Tri-Party Agreement That Changed Everything
Most people don't realize that Ford Center at The Star is a legal masterpiece as much as an architectural one. It’s owned by the City of Frisco. The Dallas Cowboys manage it. The school district contributed $30 million to the construction, which sounds like a lot until you realize they got a world-class stadium without having to build a stand-alone facility they’d have to maintain themselves. It’s a shared-use model that actually works.
Frisco ISD gets to host football games, soccer matches, and graduations there. Because it’s indoor, they never have to worry about the brutal Texas heat or those sudden October thunderstorms that usually wreck Friday night lights.
The stadium itself features a massive 2,270-square-foot video board. It’s huge. Even if you're sitting in the back row, you've got a better view than most people in the nosebleeds at AT&T Stadium. The lighting is broadcast-quality, meaning every high school kid's highlight reel looks like a professional production.
What It’s Really Like Inside
Walking into the Ford Center, the first thing you notice is the light. Architecture firm Gensler didn't want a dark, cavernous dome. They used a lot of glass. The north end of the stadium opens up to the Tostitos Championship Plaza, which basically blurs the line between the "inside" and the "outside."
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On any given Tuesday, you might see the Cowboys offense running drills on the field. On Friday night, it’s the Frisco Lone Star Rangers or the Reedy Lions. It’s this weird, beautiful overlap of amateur and professional sports.
The facility isn't just a field, though. It’s connected to the Cowboys’ world headquarters. We’re talking about:
- Executive offices where the big deals happen.
- The War Room where they run the NFL Draft.
- State-of-the-art hydrotherapy pools and weight rooms.
- A Nike Star Walk that chronicles the history of the franchise.
The fan experience is also fundamentally different from a standard NFL game. At Ford Center at The Star, everything is intimate. You’re close to the action. You can hear the pads popping. You can hear the coaches screaming. It’s visceral.
More Than Just Football
While football is the "main character" here, the versatility of the venue is why it stays busy 300 days a year. It’s hosted the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Championship. It’s been the home for the NBA G League’s Texas Legends. They’ve even had major boxing matches and esports tournaments there.
There's this common misconception that it's just a "practice field." That’s wrong. It’s a multi-purpose entertainment engine.
The weight room is a beast of its own. It's 60,000 square feet. For context, your local gym is probably 5,000. It overlooks the practice fields, so while players are lifting, they’re staring at the turf they’re trying to dominate. It’s psychological.
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The Economic Impact Nobody Talks About
Frisco’s "$5 Billion Mile" exists largely because of the gravity of the Cowboys. Ford Center at The Star acted as the anchor. Before this, this part of the Dallas North Tollway was relatively empty. Now, you’ve got the Omni Frisco Hotel, high-end retail like Lucchese and Flea Style, and dozens of restaurants.
The business model shifted from "build a stadium people leave after the game" to "build a destination where people live, work, and eat." It’s smart. It’s basically a city within a city.
The tax revenue generated by the retail and hospitality around the stadium goes back into the city’s coffers. This helps fund the very schools that use the stadium. It’s a closed-loop system. While some critics argue about public funding for sports venues, the Frisco model is often cited by urban planners as the "gold standard" for how to do it right.
Navigating the Star: Pro Tips for Visitors
If you’re planning to visit, don't just show up for a game and leave. You’re missing half the point.
The Tostitos Championship Plaza is essentially a massive outdoor turf field where kids can run around and play touch football while parents eat on the patios of nearby restaurants. It’s usually free and open to the public unless there’s a private event.
Parking is actually decent. Unlike the nightmare of Arlington, there are several parking garages around the Star that are often free for the first few hours.
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Take the tour. If you want to see the Ford Center properly, pay for the guided tour. You get to see the Super Bowl trophies, the draft room, and the locker rooms. It’s one of the few places where you can actually see the "business" of sports happening in real-time.
Debunking the Myths
One thing people get wrong: they think you can just walk in and watch the Cowboys practice whenever you want. Nope. Training camp sessions that are open to the public are specific, ticketed (usually free but limited) events. Most of the time, when the Cowboys are on the field, the glass is tinted or the curtains are drawn to keep scouts from other teams from peeking in.
Another myth? That it's too expensive for local families. While the restaurants around the Star can be pricey, the high school games are standard FISD pricing. You can take a family of four to a game in a billion-dollar facility for about the price of a movie ticket.
Why This Matters for the Future of Sports
The Ford Center at The Star proved that the "fortress" model of sports architecture is dead. Modern fans—and modern cities—want integration. They want to be able to have a beer, do some shopping, and watch a high-level sporting event all in the same square mile.
It’s about community. Even if that community is built around a multi-billion dollar brand.
By putting high school athletes on the same pedestal as pro athletes, the facility creates a sense of aspiration. It makes the dream feel closer. And for the city of Frisco, it’s a branding tool that says, "We are the capital of sports."
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
- Check the FISD Schedule: Don't just look for Cowboys events. The real magic of the Ford Center is seeing a Friday night high school game. Check the Frisco ISD athletics calendar for "Double Header" nights.
- Download the The Star District App: It gives you real-time updates on parking availability and wait times at restaurants like City Works or Neighborhood Services.
- Visit the Ring of Honor Walk: Located just outside the Ford Center, this is a free way to see the history of the team without paying for a stadium tour.
- Book the "Training Table" Experience: If you want to eat like a player, some of the onsite catering and nearby health-focused spots offer menus designed around the Cowboys' actual nutritional plans.
- Plan for "The Walk": If you’re attending a game, arrive 90 minutes early to hang out on the Plaza. It’s the best people-watching in North Texas and usually features live music or interactive games for kids.