Ashley Burton, an Oncor spokesperson, just called with the news: "All of those lights on the Commerce Street viaduct have been repaired and turned on. I just spoke with someone who was out there to check last night, and they're energized and turned on."
Me too, Ashley. After all, many of those things have been out for as long as I can remember.
It took the Super Bowl to get 'em fixed, of course. Jeamy Molina, also an Oncor spokesperson, told me this morning that the energy provider's been prepping for the big game since May 2007, when it was announced Cowboys Stadium would host Super Bowl XLV.
"We have been working for the past three years to make sure everything for the Super Bowl is ready," she says. "That includes general maintenance around the stadium, around Arlington, the NFL Experience [at the Dallas Convention Center], just where any sanctioned NFL event will take place."
And it wasn't just for the the sake of keeping up appearances, she
reminds: Not only did the league demand the lights get turned on (save
for the 2,000 Arlington's keeping turned off intentionally); so too did the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and even the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Matter of fact, she says, Oncor will have two workers at Cowboys Stadium
during the game "in case any emergencies arise," in addition to several
others stationed in a mobile unit two blocks away. Hundreds more will
be on call, she says.
"We've done maintenance throughout the area," she says, "making sure everything's OK and working."
