Intricate and fantastic design features have revolutionized the building of sports stadiums all around the world in the 21st century. Extravagant stadiums like the “Bird’s Nest” in Beijing, whose basket-weaved exterior became iconic during the 2008 summer Olympics, or London’s Wembley Stadium “home of soccer in England,” which displays a dramatic 133 meters tall structural-support arch visible from over 13 miles away. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ new stadium though, takes stadium design in another direction…an innovation in BIG!

As proof of the popular adage “everything is bigger in Texas,” the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, dwarfs the Cowboys previous home, Texas Stadium, tripling its size. The overall aesthetics of the new stadium incorporate many of the traditions that made Texas Stadium a staple in the NFL – there is still a hole in the roof so that “God can look down and watch his favorite team” – but it is the improvements and innovations that make this new “home to God’s team” an architectural achievement that is hard to believe even if you are staring at it.

Take a look at the numbers. For starters, compared to the 65,000 fans, which was capacity at Texas Stadium, Cowboys Stadium can accommodate up to 105,000 screaming die-hards per home game. Needless to say, that is the largest number in the NFL . . . and we’re just getting started. Cowboys Stadium is the world’s largest column-free room, supported by two massive steel arches, and spans a whole quarter mile. That’s longer than the Empire State Building lying on its side!

The $35 million required to construct Texas Stadium in 1971 is pocket change compared to the $1.2 billion spent on Cowboys Stadium, which is the most expensive NFL stadium; that is, until 2010 when the Jets/Giants open their $1.6 billion stadium. In fact, the four sides of the 72 feet high by 160 feet wide, 1.2 million pound video board that hangs from the center of the roof 90 feet above the ground cost $40 million alone. It’s hard to envision just how grand that is without first seeing it, but with Mitsubishi Electric’s Diamond Vision technology creating the first true 1080 HD display in an NFL stadium, it’s better than watching the game live.

There’s further evidence of the “biggest and best” that Cowboys Stadium boasts, since any comparison is futile. Even though Jerry Jones made certain to honor tradition, “God’s window” (the opening in the roof that made Texas Stadium famous) now comes equipped with expansive retractable roof panels that can be open or closed in 12 minutes, making the Cowboys Stadium experience optimal no matter the weather conditions. The retractable roof measures 660,800 square feet, which is the largest of its kind in the world, and when closed the roof encompasses 104 million cubic feet of volume, which (again) makes it the largest enclosed stadium in the world.

As you approach the stadium…and the sun is eclipsed…the first thing you notice is the incredible mirror-like canted glass exterior 86 feet high sloping outwardly 14 degrees, which creates a luminescent glow day and night. You will also notice that a fritted glass system creates a unique effect by reflecting the Texas sky that changes depending on the time of day…oh, and you will, of course, notice those massive steel arches. The arches, which hold up the world’s largest single span roof, reach a quarter mile in length and weigh 3,255 tons each. The arches hold the roof 292 feet above the playing field. The Statue of Liberty could fit, standing upright, inside of Cowboys Stadium.

Jerry Jones didn’t just settle for a retractable roof hole, especially when there are stadiums that have entire roofs that open (considerably smaller stadiums, though). Cowboys Stadium features the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. The glass panel doors, which can open or close in 18 minutes, stand 120 feet tall and 180 feet wide and offer a unique open-air dynamic.

Aside from all the architectural marvels, Cowboys Stadium offers a one-of-a-kind fan experience unrivaled by any other team, which Jones and his design team came up with through trips to stadiums around the world, as well as airports and malls. There is the Cowboys Pro Shop, which, not surprisingly, is the largest in the world. Then there are the expansive restroom facilities, plethora of food and drink options at every level, and even full bars in certain parts this futuristically-designed stadium that will make you never want to go home.

In what is being hailed as the future of the sports experience are the ideas Jones has come up with to bring the team to the fans, not just the fans to the team. Besides the exterior facilities, the Stadium has fan decks in place where the cheerleaders can perform right up in the stands. Instead of coming out of a tunnel from under the fans, the team now makes its field entrance through the Miller Lite Club, which is an unprecedented feature in this day and age. This is a great way to truly make the Cowboys “America’s team,” assuming that no player swipes a beer from the bar on his way to the field, and hoping inebriated fans won’t give a not-so-friendly toss of a bottle at a player who cost the team the game.

It’s hard to imagine yourself thinking that $1.2 billion dollars spent on anything is a good idea, but the new Cowboys Stadium that Jerry Jones has created will soon be the beacon of the NFL and an icon in America. Amongst its technological innovations and architectural wonders is an experience that everyone should take part in at least once in their lives.