There’s plenty to watch out for in North Texas as 2009 gets off the ground

12:00 AM CST on Wednesday, December 31, 2008

FROM STAFF REPORTS Kent Fischer, Brandon Formby, Jason Trahan, Theodore Kim, Dave Levinthal, Jeff Mosier, Christy Hoppe, Stephanie Sandoval, Lori Stahl and Brendan Case contributed to this report.

Will federal prosecutors, state lawmakers and Jerry Jones cure what ails us in 2009?

One major story in 2009 is certain to be the opening of the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington. Crews recently lifted the structure of a giant video board into place. The first event at the stadium will be a major concert, possibly in June.

Predicting the future is sheer folly. If you don’t believe it, ask the British scientist who said in 1895 that “heavier-than-air flying machines” would never get off the ground. Or the record company talent scout who said in 1962 that the Beatles had no future in music.

We can make one prediction with certainty. In 2009, most of us will be preoccupied with the fates and fortunes of our families and friends.

Hank Williams Jr. helped out this month at Texas Stadium’s closing ceremony. Irving may rent the site to the state during renovation of the nearby interchange.

What follows is a partial list of the big stories that will be unfolding in 2009. Let’s hope the stories that we never could have anticipated don’t rock our world too much.

Economy looms

With the U.S. slogging through its worst recession in decades, the Texas economy faces a challenging 2009.

Yes, the state may enjoy better economic health than the nation as a whole. But employers are already laying people off and the great Texas jobs machine of recent years is expected to sputter.

One bright spot: Dramatic recent declines in gasoline prices are providing some relief, at least for now. Prices dropped in part because American drivers – many of them hit by the economic downturn – tamed their demand.

What about the troubled housing sector?

Foreclosures may be near a peak, but don’t look for any significant improvements. Thousands of homeowners are still out there with dodgy loans that are going to blow up on them.

The Bushes return

In January, the road from the White House leads to a quiet cul-de-sac on Daria Place when President and Mrs. Bush return to their former hometown.

The Bushes lived in Dallas until 1995, when a gubernatorial bid landed them in the Governor’s Mansion in Austin.

Now they’re expected to move to a $2 million, four-bedroom home in Preston Hollow. The house backs up to an estate owned by former Bush business partner Tom Hicks.

Look for them around Southern Methodist University. Both the president and first lady have said they’ll be actively involved in development of his presidential library, museum and policy institute. That complex is set to be built near SMU Boulevard and North Central Expressway.

Cowboys’ new home

No matter how the Dallas Cowboys fare on the field, 2009 will be a milestone year for the team. The Cowboys’ new $1.1 billion stadium in Arlington is scheduled for completion June 1.

The Cowboys of 2009 will celebrate countless firsts in Arlington: first public event, first sporting event and first regular season football game.

The stadium will open with a major concert, possibly in June. But details still have not been announced. College football fans, however, already know when to arrive.

Texas A&M University and the University of Arkansas will play the first of at least 10 annual games Oct. 3 at the new stadium. The Big 12 Conference will host its championship game Dec. 5 in Arlington.

Old venues fade

The Dallas Cowboys will vacate legendary Texas Stadium – the team’s home for more than 37 years – by the end of March. The city of Irving owns the site and the structure and plans to demolish the building. But how officials go about it is still up in the air.

City officials want to have the site cleared by early 2010. State transportation officials and the city are working on allowing the state to rent the site from Irving. The land will be used as the staging area for the massive $518 million project dubbed the Diamond Interchange.

The renovation will streamline the area’s four major thoroughfares – state highways 114 and 183, Loop 12 and Spur 482 – with a Dallas Area Rapid Transit rail line.

For Reunion Arena, a storied history of thousands of sporting events, concerts and political rallies couldn’t save the 28-year-old facility from simple economics.

An auction of its contents, from seats to Zamboni machines, commenced in September, and demolition is slated to begin in early 2009.

The Legislature

State lawmakers will find that the $11 billion surplus they socked away during boom times is mostly spent, chiefly on higher Medicaid costs, Hurricane Ike repairs and a big hole in the state budget left by property tax cuts and lower-than-expected revenue from a new business tax.

Texas is still in better financial shape than most states, but the economic downturn means that interests ranging from highway construction, universities, public schools and foster care programs will be battling for limited resources.

The session will kick off Jan. 13 with rancorous politics in the House, where 76 Republicans and 74 Democrats – the closest partisan split in years – will fight over who will serve as speaker, a battle that will send waves throughout the five-month legislative session.

Kent Fischer, Brandon Formby, Jason Trahan, Theodore Kim, Dave Levinthal, Jeff Mosier, Christy Hoppe, Stephanie Sandoval, Lori Stahl and Brendan Case contributed to this report.