The 27-year-old domed stadium also is home to the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, the NOKIA Sugar Bowl, Tulane University football and the Bayou Classic football game. It has hosted Papal visits, political conventions and even three NCAA Final Fours. The facility is busy approximately 250 days a year.
Ellerbe Becket will present its findings April 1, 2002, to the Stadium Advisory Committee and Superdome Operator SMG. The results also will be shared with the Louisiana State Legislature, which is considering funding options for the proposed improvements.
The study will look at ways to improve fan amenities, seating sight lines and revenue generation options. Ellerbe Becket currently is renovating two NFL facilities: Lambeau Field in Green Bay; and Soldier Field in Chicago. The firm recently completed renovations at two other NFL facilities: Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville; and the Meadowlands in New Jersey.
“The goal is to determine what it will take to make the Louisiana Superdome comparable to the other new and recently-renovated NFL facilities,” said Ellerbe Becket Project Director Kelly Kerns. The stadium currently seats 72,000 for football, with 137 luxury suites and approximately 6,600 club seats. “We’ll take a look at costs and timelines and evaluate enhancements as part of a long-term masterplan for the people of Louisiana.”
Kerns said there are a number of advantages to renovating the Superdome. “The city planners put it in the right place,” he said. “It’s proximity to hotels, the French Quarter, downtown and parking makes it a natural for big events.”
An innovator since its founding in 1909, Ellerbe Becket is a leader in architecture, engineering and the construction industry with office locations worldwide.
