Arlington received a major cultural (and economic) boom in 2009, when the Dallas Cowboys’ new state-of-the art stadium opened (925 N. Collins St., 817/892-4161, http://stadium.dallascowboys.com/). Constructed for a “mere” $1.2 billion, the 660,800-square-foot stadium is the largest domed structure in the world. Cynically referred to as the Taj Mahal of stadiums or a monument to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’s ego, the stadium is a marvel to behold. Looming on the horizon like a massive spaceship, the stadium features a retractable roof, luxury suites, and, perhaps most impressive/garish of all, a 60-yard-wide video screen suspended over the field. The stadium’s oversized price tag was paid for by city sales tax, which increased by one-half of a percent, an increase in Arlington’s hotel occupancy and car rental taxes, and hundreds of millions from the City of Arlington, the NFL, and Jones himself.

For Cowboys (and fancy stadium) fans, the self-guided tour ($17.50) is worth doing, especially to see the locker rooms and toss a football around on the field. For $10 more, you can see the luxury suites and press boxes with a knowledgeable and entertaining guide. Tours are held Monday–Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.