Thirteen months (and 5,000 tons of removed debris) after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana Superdome reopened to the delight of a beleaguered Gulf Cost region. Never in the history of US stadiums has a facility been so heavily damaged and rebuilt so quickly. One of the keys to success was that Ellerbe Becket had a long-term relationship with SMG and the Superdome Commission and had been working pre-Katrina on plans to enhance the building to keep it current with NFL stadium trends. The result is a Superdome that is better than ever.
What I’m looking at here is nothing short of a miracle and is symbolic of the great rebirth that this city and this state are experiencing.
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco
