What a VIP tour of The Star reveals about sport, place, and the power of a clear vision.
I went to The Star in Frisco expecting a sports campus. I left thinking about vision and legacy. The Star is the 91-acre world headquarters and practice facility of the Dallas Cowboys, built in partnership with the City of Frisco and the local school district. On paper, it is an office complex, an indoor stadium, practice fields, retail and dining. In person, it feels like stepping into the physical manifestation of a brand that has been carefully nurtured by one family.
On my VIP Guided Tour, I saw the football operations and the glossy surfaces, yes. But what stayed with me was the business vision of Jerry Jones, and the branding eye of his daughter, Charlotte Jones, who has shaped the look and feel of The Star’s interiors and the wider campus experience. This is a family that has built a village around a logo—and invited the public in.
First impressions: walking into a brand
My tour began at Tostitos Championship Plaza, the outdoor turf field framed by modern glass buildings and a towering digital screen. Before I even stepped inside, the message was clear: this isn’t just a private training facility. It is a public square designed to keep the Cowboys present in daily life—whether you are here for a latte, a meeting, a high school game, or a once-in-a-lifetime tour.
Inside, the branding becomes more intimate. The hallways, artwork, lighting, and materials have all been curated. This is where Charlotte Jones’ touch comes in: the combination of sleek corporate design with subtle nods to history, tradition, and Texas pride. The result is polished but not cold. You feel that someone cared about how it would feel to move through these spaces, not just how they would look in photos.
Behind the scenes: where game day is built
The VIP Guided Tour takes you into the bones of the operation—where the work that fans never see actually happens. Depending on the day, you may step into film rooms, war-room style spaces, and the Ford Center at The Star, a 12,000-seat indoor stadium shared by the Cowboys, the City of Frisco, and Frisco high schools.
America’s Sweethearts
Standing near the Ford Center field, you feel the scale of the project: a professional team’s headquarters that is also a community hub. The same venue that hosts Cowboys practices can host high-school football, soccer, community events and of course America’s Sweethearts, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. That public-private partnership was part of the original vision for The Star, and it shows up everywhere—from the High School Football Tribute at the entrance to the way the campus is woven into Frisco’s urban fabric.
In locker areas and player spaces, the design shifts from public spectacle to quiet precision. Details are intentional: lighting that flatters, materials that are easy to maintain, and layouts that support performance and routine. It is here that you appreciate how thoroughly the Jones family has thought about their “customers”—not just the fans, but the players, staff, and partners who spend their days here.
A family business disguised as a global brand
What struck me most, listening to our guide –whose nickname is Coach– is that beneath this billion-dollar campus is a very human reality: this is a family business. Jerry Jones is often described as an owner, but visiting The Star you feel his role more as a founder—someone who took a risk on a struggling franchise decades ago and has spent years turning it into one of the most recognisable sports brands in the world. His vision is stitched into everything from naming rights partnerships, like the Ford Center, to the decision to create an entire district where fans can eat, shop, stay, and linger.
Charlotte Jones, as Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer, takes that vision and translates it into space. The way the headquarters reflects in glass, the choreography of how guests enter, the balance between trophy-case nostalgia and modern technology—this is brand work at an architectural scale. As someone who thinks a lot about how destinations are built, I found it fascinating. Many teams have logos and stadiums. Fewer have a coherent world, where the brand experience flows from the plaza to the practice field to the hotel lobby to the restaurant patios across the street. In that sense, The Star feels like a case study in sports tourism: a liveable, walkable campus that turns fans into year-round visitors.
Experiencing The Star as a traveller, not just a fan
You do not have to know every Cowboys statistic to enjoy The Star. On our tour, there were lifelong fans in jerseys and visitors, like me, who were simply curious.
Here is how I would experience it as a traveller:
- Start on the plaza. Give yourself time before or after your tour to sit on the edge of the turf, people-watch, and soak in the energy. In the evenings, the lighting on the Ford Center and surrounding buildings gives the whole space a cinematic glow.
- Take the VIP Guided Tour. This is where the storytelling happens. Guides share histories, design details, and insider anecdotes that transform steel and glass into something more personal.
- Wander The Star District. The surrounding shops and restaurants turn a simple tour into a half-day outing—perfect if you’re staying at the Omni Frisco or visiting from elsewhere in the Metroplex.
- Notice the community layers. Look for tributes to Texas high school football, partnerships with healthcare providers, and displays that highlight local connections. The Star is not only about the NFL; it is stitched into the local story of Frisco.
Tips for visiting The Star in Frisco
The Star sits in Frisco, about 30–40 minutes north of downtown Dallas, and if you stay at the Omni Frisco Hotel you can walk straight out onto the plaza. It is worth booking a VIP Guided Tour in advance through the official website, especially on weekends, game weeks, or during special events, as these tours usually include behind-the-scenes areas not open to the general public.
Daytime visits show The Star as a working headquarters, with staff moving between buildings and families exploring the turf, while evenings add extra atmosphere with the Ford Center lit up and The Star District buzzing with diners. The experience works well for NFL and Cowboys fans, families, and travellers interested in sports business, branding, or architecture, particularly those already staying in Frisco. The campus has wide walkways and ramps and most tours are suitable for guests with limited mobility, but it is always wise to confirm details when you book. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for Texas heat, even though much of the experience is indoors.
The Takeaway
My VIP Guided Tour of The Star was about football on the surface, but underneath it was about vision and follow-through. Jerry Jones took a team and imagined a world around it. Charlotte Jones helped design that world so that every hallway, plaza, and field tells a cohesive story. As a visitor, you feel that intention. You sense the pride of a family business, the ambition of a global brand, and the everyday joy of kids running routes on a field framed by glass towers.
In an era when travel can sometimes feel like chasing the same chain stores and stadiums in different cities, The Star stands out. It is specific—to Texas, to the Cowboys, to this one family’s relentless belief in what their star can represent. Whether you arrive as a diehard fan or a curious traveller, you leave with a new appreciation for how a place can be built around an idea—and how powerful it is when that idea is carried, decade after decade, by the same hands.