The Superdome cost $193 million to repair
and refurbish. To repair the
Superdome, FEMA put up $115 million, the
state spent $13 million, the Louisiana
Stadium & Expedition District refinanced a
bond package to secure $41 million and the
NFL contributed $15 million.
On Super Bowl XL Sunday (February 5, 2006),
the NFL announced that the Saints would play
their home opener on September 24, 2006 in
the Superdome against the Atlanta Falcons.
The game was later moved to Monday night,
September 25, 2006. |
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The dome reopened amid a wave of pomp and
circumstance, including a free outdoor concert
by the Goo Goo Dolls before fans were allowed
in, a pregame performance by the rock bands U2
and Green Day performing a cover of The Skids'
"The Saints Are Coming", and a coin toss
conducted by former President George H. W. Bush.
In front of ESPN's largest-ever audience, the
Saints won the game 23-3 and went on to a
successful season reaching the NFC Championship
Game.
The Superdome is the only pro sports stadium
in the country that hosts a Carnival parade. And
that's only one of the unique uses of this sports
palace, which has become the favored destination
of everything from Super Bowls to tractor pulls.
Truth is, it's always a party inside the Superdome,
especially when the Saints are in town. As the only
major league sports franchise in the city, the Saints
have enjoyed a love affair with New Orleans fans
that has only intensified with the team's recent
winning ways. Although the stadium is so big that
the Astrodome could fit inside, Saints games have
sold out for virtually seven years. The Superdome
on game day is a prime example of a city letting
the good times roll.
The Superdome's main arena was busy for 258 days
in the 12-month period ending this past summer,
breaking the old record of 255 set the previous
year. Activity in the Dome's four ballrooms totalled
606 use dates, also a new high.
The new record levels were achieved during a
heavy construction period. A total of $22.8 million
in improvements, effecting all levels of the Superdome,
were completed in time to host the Nokia Sugar Bowl
January 2, 1998 and Super Bowl XXXI January 31,
1998.
Improvements 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.
Some New Orleans Saints history: The
Saints joined the NFL as an expansion team in
1967. The new club struggled for many years,
employing six head coaches, posting 12
consecutive losing records, and averaging only
four wins per season from 1967 to 1978. The
team's leader during much of this time was
quarterback Archie Manning, who won the NFL
player of the year award in 1978. The greatest
moment in Saints history came on November 8,
1970, when New Orleans kicker Tom Dempsey sealed
a 19-17 upset of the Detroit Lions with a
63-yard field goal—the longest in NFL history.
