National Football League

Records show firm knew tent could fall

Published Jul. 25, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

The company that designed and built the ill-fated Dallas Cowboys' practice facility knew long before the giant, tent-like structure collapsed three years ago that it was in danger of falling and concealed the problem, company documents obtained by The Associated Press reveal.

Emails, handwritten notes and other documents indicate that Summit Structures LLC knew far more about the perilous condition of the facility than has been reported and raise fresh questions about similar structures erected by the now-defunct Allentown, Pa., company.

The documents reveal that Summit knew the facility was prone to buckling and planned to provide the Cowboys with engineering calculations that would hide the defect.

Two team employees were severely injured when the building toppled in a wind storm during a rookie mini-camp in May 2009.