Suit Filed Against Arlington Over Land For New Stadium

Eleven property owners sued the city of Arlington “to stop officials from taking their land” to build a new Cowboys stadium, according to Mark Agee of the FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM. The suit alleges that “using powers of eminent domain to condemn homes for a football stadium violates various parts of the Texas Constitution.” Glenn Sodd, the homeowners’ attorney, said, “Forcibly taking my clients’ property from them to give to another private property owner –- I can’t imagine anyone thinks that’s fair, or American, or legal.” But Arlington City Attorney Jay Doegey said that “this area of law is mostly settled. Condemnation cases against Arlington have involved many of the same issues, and the city’s power to take property was overturned in none of them.” The suit states that the city is “violating the law because eminent domain is only legitimate in cases where land is taken for ‘public use,’ such as to build roads or schools.” City officials have “touted the stadium, in terms of jobs and sales tax revenue, as a public benefit.” The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that economic development was a justifiable use of eminent domain powers (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 7/27).