Jerry Jones Domination

Academy of Country Music Awards succumbs to allure of AT&T Stadium

Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton at 2014 ACM Awards

Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, having a good ol' time here at the 2014 ACM Awards, will be back for the 2015 edition at AT&T Stadium.

Academy of Country Music/Facebook

If Jerry Jones has his way, AT&T Stadium will play host to every big event the world has to offer. He took the next step toward that goal with the announcement that the Academy of Country Music Awards will come to the 80,000-seat stadium on April 19, 2015.

The academy obviously wanted to make a splash with next year's awards, as it marks the 50th anniversary of the annual celebration. Whether this is a one-off thing to make a big deal of that anniversary or a recurring event remains to be seen. The awards had been in Las Vegas since 2003.

Jerry Jones doesn't mind jokes at his expense. He's laughing all the way to the bank.

The announcement was made during Sunday's night telecast of the 2014 ACM Awards as part of the show opening by hosts Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, who will also host next year.

Bryan and Shelton even took potshots at Jones, noting that AT&T Stadium has hosted many big events — but only one Dallas Cowboys playoff game.

Jones later took the stage to present an award with George Strait, who'll be putting on his own big event at the stadium on June 7. Jones was roundly booed, just as he was at the Final Four on Saturday, although he's probably laughing all the way to the bank.

As it was in Las Vegas, the event will be more than just the ceremony itself. Globe Life Park will help out by hosting the ACM Party for a Cause: 50 Years of Music & Memories, a two-day music festival, on April 17-18, 2015. The festival will include multiple stages of live performances, interactive experiences, a country marketplace with food trucks and vendors from around the country, and more.

In addition to the ACM Awards, the stadium has hosted major events like the Super Bowl, Final Four, NBA All-Star Game, Cotton Bowl, a Manny Pacquiao boxing match, and numerous other big college football and basketball games.

The academy is wasting no time capitalizing on the announcement, as tickets for the 2015 ACM Awards will go on sale to the general public at 10 am on Tuesday, April 15. Professional Members of the ACM and ACM A-List Members will be able to buy pre-sale tickets starting on April 10.

Tickets will be available through ACMAwards50.com, with packages ranging anywhere from $145-$585. Tickets will include both the music festival and the ACM Awards ceremony.

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Global ice cream chain tops this week's most popular stories in Dallas

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Ice cream from Dumont Creamery & Cafe

Editor's note: A global ice cream chain from India that opened two DFW locations was the hottest topic this week in Dallas. Also of note: A buzzy burger restaurant, the death of a beloved Dallas musician-DJ, and an impressive ranking for Flower Mound. Here are the most-read stories of the week. If you're looking for things to do this weekend, we got you: That list is here.

1. Global gourmet ice cream chain debuts in U.S. with 2 Dallas-area shops. An ice cream concept from India has made its U.S. debut, right here in Texas: Dumont Creamery & Cafe was founded in Hyderabad and now has two locations in the Dallas area. Ice cream is the centerpiece with more than two dozen flavors, ranging from Italian-inspired sorbet to a New Zealand-inspired honey ice cream called "hokey pokey."

2. Acclaimed Burger Schmurger pop-up finds permanent space in East Dallas. A buzzy burger pop-up is graduating to brick-and-mortar status: Burger Schmurger, which has earned oodles of acclaim for its smash burger style of burgers, is moving into a permanent home at 718 N Buckner Blvd., the space previously occupied by Bar None which closed in August..

3. Colorful Dallas musician and DJ Mark Ridlen passes away at 65. A bright and colorful light in Dallas' music scene went out: Mark Ridlen, DJ and musician, passed away on November 17, following a bout with cancer; he was 65. As a professional DJ under the moniker "DJ Mr. Rid," Ridlen had been a steady staple on the local creative scene.

4. Fill up on the festive fare in this roundup of Dallas restaurant news. This roundup of restaurant news around Dallas is all about new menus, with lots of festive-themed dishes and menu additions. There's a new brunch at a surprising destination, new cocktails, and lots of hot chocolate, fitting for the season..

5. Well-to-do Dallas suburb lands on top-10 list of holiday big spenders. It looks like Santa Claus is going to be competing with residents in Flower Mound to see who brings the most lavish holiday gifts this year. Festive Flo-Mo ranked No. 7 in WalletHub's annual report on U.S. cities with the biggest holiday budgets in 2024.