A full 45 years after it was built, the Superdome keeps going. And the next renovation project for the home of the Saints keeps going forward.
Via Anthony McAuley of NOLA.com, the Louisiana Bond Commission has authorized the sale of up to $350 million in bonds to fund a $450 million stadium upgrade that will keep the Saints in town for at least the next several decades.
The team’s lease at the Superdome expires in 2025, and a variety of alternatives were considered for the next construction project at the Superdome -- including the construction of a new stadium. After realizing that a new stadium would cost roughly $2 billion, the decision was made to upgrade the existing building.
There was a time when it seemed that the late Tom Benson was intent on moving the team, perhaps to San Antonio. In the aftermath of the 2005 hurricane that devastated the area, the bond strengthened between the Saints and New Orleans. It’s inconceivable to think of the team playing anywhere else.