There are certain lots designated as 'tailgate' lots, but does that mean that you have room to set up a tent/chairs/TV any place in them, or only on the perimeter where there are grassy areas? At Reliant the spaces are deep enough to where you can set up a 10x10 tent behind your vehicle without spilling over in the driveways, but from the Cowboys' site it sounds like even if you're in the 'tailgate lot' it's still first-come, first-serve for the ability to do anything other than sit in your car and drink beer...
According to the explanation I read from their site, tailgating spots are on the outside of the lots and have a grassy area behind the parking spot. You are limited to the area directly behind your parking spot, and if you have several cars you want together, you must arrive at the same time (no reserved spots). Edit: link.
"Any grass areas beyond the designated tailgating spaces is considered common ground and may be used by other guests for tailgating or picnicking activities." So, by definition, anyone can tailgate wherever you want, but if you're in a designated tailgate space, you actually have the space behind your car reserved up to a certain level. So, it sounds like you can make your tailgate as big as you want, as long as you don't spread out to the side into other tailgate spaces, only outwards away from your car. And that is fair game ground. Also, if you go out past the 18 feet, any area is fair game. So, you could technically have a T-shaped tailgate composed of your 9x18 tailgate spot, and whatever horizontal space you can grab past that.
i went to the arkansas game in arlington, and what you guys are reading is right. the tailgate spots have a grassy area backed up to them. i bought a normal parking space, and there were a ton of people just hanging out in the parking lot taking up a couple of spaces...wasnt really that big of a deal because it seemed like there was plenty of parking. depends on how big of a tailgate you're planning. if you're just going to sit around and drink a few beers, you'll be fine without the TG spot. if you're going to grill and have washers or something out there...get the grassy spot.
We may or may not grill, but I definitely want to set up the satellite/TV (may be OK just over the air) and check out the SEC game which starts at 3...
I have tailgated at every Cowboy game thus far and I can tell you that the Death Star tailgating set up is far better than Texas Stadium. As a 20 year season ticket holder and looking for a reason to complain about the new stadium, there just isn't much to complain about with respect to the tailgate setup. If you get there early enough (and I do recommend exactly that), I suggest lots 5 and 7 right up against the grass. Pretty damn cool with electrical outlets, specific dispensers for you hot coals and a port o potty to boot. Hook em.
For Cowboys' games I'm of the belief that lots open 5 hours before the game, but I'm not sure if that'll be the same for our game or not...if so, that would make it 2PM for ours...
They change how early the lots open depending on the game. For the Cowboys opener (7 pm against the Giants) they opened at 1. For the Atlanta game (3 pm) they opened at 11. They announce it for Cowboys game a few days before the game, I believe. I've also been with a group that had an extra parking pass in lot 11 (tailgate lot) and they wouldn't let us set up in an empty space next to the space where our car was parked. This was for the Cowboys opener so they may change the policy for other games but for that one they didn't care if you had an extra pass--you needed to have a car parked in the spot in order to use it.
Thanks for the info...Is there an electrical outlet for every parking space with grass behind it, or are there just a handful of outlets so only a few of the spots have one...that would be kickass to not have to take the generator up there...
I've only been in lot 11 and I don't recall any electrical outlets. We've used a generator or a power inverter hooked up to a car battery.
