 Superdome
New
Orleans, LA
Sometime in the far future, when the
Superdome no longer exists, instead of being remembered for sports games
there, it will be a memory of one event, Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In the mid 1960s, New Orleans businessman Dave
Dixon envisioned a domed stadium that could bring a football team to the
area. Dixon's vision soon became a reality. After much discussion and planning,
the Louisiana Legislature passed a bill that allowed the stadium to be built
on November 8, 1966. After reaching an agreement to build a stadium, the NFL
awarded the area a team, the New Orleans Saints. Construction began in
August 1971 and was completed by August 1975. Due to its massive size, the dome stadium was named the
Louisiana Superdome. The Superdome covers 13
acres and is 27 stories tall. From the outside it looks like a massive
spaceship.
The
New Orleans Saints played their first game at the Superdome on
September 28, 1975 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Almost 70,000
multicolored seats divided into three tiers, circle the entire field at the
Superdome. Every seat next to another one is a different color,
making it seem like more people are at the stadium. Several video/scoreboards are located inside the
Superdome. During the summer of 1996, the Superdome underwent a
$22.8 million renovation project that included a new entrance
lobby and ticket offices, an additional concourse serving the
upper level seats,
refurbished ballrooms, additional
accommodations for the disabled and upgraded safety and security
equipment. After the 2002 season, the Astroturf playing
field was replaced with Fieldturf. The Superdome hosts numerous
other events other than football. It has hosted baseball and
basketball games, trade shows, conventions, concerts, and many
other events. The Superdome has also hosted six Super Bowls.
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In August 2005, the Superdome
was the shelter for more than 30,000 residents during Hurricane
Katrina. The hurricane sheared away much of the roof's covering
and water leaked into the stadium as it was used as a shelter
for thousands of stranded residents. The Superdome sustained
$185.4 million in damage and the New Orleans Saints played their
2005 home games in San Antonio at the Alamodome and in Baton
Rouge at Tiger Stadium. In January 2006 work began to clean up
and renovate the Superdome. Nearly
4,000 tons of trash and debris were removed, along with 1.6 million
square feet of wrecked carpeting, 650,000 square feet of wall
board and 500,000 square feet of  ceiling tiles. All 72,000 seats
were cleaned and crews repaired the roof. The 30 year
old stadium’s three-level seating plan remains the same, with
the most noticeable difference being a thin video board, called
a ribbon board, replacing the facade of the upper deck.
Scoreboard video screens behind each end zone have been
enlarged.
The New Orleans Saints played their first game in the city since
2004 on September 24, 2006 against the Atlanta Falcons.
In April 2009, the
Saints and the State of Louisiana reached an agreement to keep
the franchise at the Superdome through 2025. The agreement
includes upgrading the Superdome and resurrecting an abandoned
section of the Central Business District
with a refurbished office tower and a new sports entertainment
district. Improvements to the Superdome include widening plaza
level concourses, adding concession stands, reconfiguring the
lower bowl that adds 3,100 seats, adding 300-level luxury
suites, a new retail store, a club lounge and upgraded
restaurants. The upgrades are expected to be complete during the
2010 and 2011 off-seasons. Not only are the enhancements meant
to keep the Superdome competitive with other NFL stadiums, but
to increase the city's bid for the 2013 Super Bowl.
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