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Some of that is posturing. If the state came up with plans for a new facility with the Saints getting a large cut of the stadium revenues (ala the SBC Center) I'm sure he'd change his tune.
So the direct subsidy paid to Benson is a red herring?The Superdome is insured. Insurance will pay the bulk of the cost to refurbish it.
That facility would be a logical anchor for the development projects that will be needed in New Orleans to re-establish the economy there, whether the Saints stick around or not.
How so?
Some of that is posturing. If the state came up with plans for a new facility with the Saints getting a large cut of the stadium revenues (ala the SBC Center) I'm sure he'd change his tune.
Whatever happened to the plans for this thing?
Name: Saints Stadium
Team: New Orleans Saints
Scheduled inauguration: 2009
Cost: $450 million
Capacity: 60,000-70,000 seats
Well, the refurbishment of the Superdome is a given. Even without the Saints, it was a profitable facility, and is a central cog in their conventioneering business. You have Mayor Nagin and the rest of TPTB already pushing forth their redevelopment proposals. If Benson truly were interested in what Louisiana had to say, he would be in the middle of those conversations.
Instead, he's firing anybody who even mentions the idea of talking with Louisiana about keeping the Saints there.
This is not about Louisiana dropping the ball. They aren't being given the opportunity to drop it even. Benson simply wants out, and doesn't care how he's perceived.
Whatever happened to the plans for this thing?
Name: Saints Stadium
Team: New Orleans Saints
Scheduled inauguration: 2009
Cost: $450 million
Capacity: 60,000-70,000 seats
As far as I know it is still in the works....but who knows with what is going on. That was going to be a sweeeeet stadium too. Right on the Mississippi river.
Ray Nagin had a interesting line I saw somewhere else, maybe on WWL. I'll have to check. When asked about the Saints status with New Orleans, he said he wanted the team back but not the owner.
Well, he's wanted a new facility. That's where the posturing comes into effect. If he makes it clear that a refurbished Superdome won't do it for him, then he is applying pressure on the state to come up with a new facility.
This is where SA is the bargaining chip. SA can become the destination if someone comes up with a viable new long-term stadium plan.
Benson was scheduled to receive a total of $186 million in state subsidies over the remaining life of the current lease.
How much should Louisianna pay him in a new lease?
I don't know what Saints fans are so worried about. In order for SA to end up with the Saints the city would have to come up with a $400 million facility on its own. Given how much San Antonians ed about funding a new $180 mil arena for a NBA champion that was funded with a hotel tax and a contribution from the team, you don't have much to fear.
he said it during a radio interview...its in a thread over at saintsreport.com
Yep, looking like a lot more.
OK, buddy, no offense... but try reading comprehension.
I'm not trying to rationalize S.A. brazen act of looting here.
Marcus was doing that. He was saying, well if New Orleans wants to keep the Saints, then let's see their stadium deal.
My point was that the damage to the Superdome, and the insurance check that will be coming in, present an opportunity to do a more substantial renovation to the facility than what otherwise would be done.
And, the federal and private money that will be pouring in to redevelop the economy would present an opportunity to further expand the revenue-generating capability of the Saints franchise. Even without the Saints, upgrading the Superdome complex seems like a no-brainer.
So if all Benson were doing is playing S.A. off New Orleans in order to get a better stadium deal, then it would make sense for him to be involved in the conversations already in progress about how to rebuild New Orleans.
He's not doing that. He wants no part of it.
Now, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the at ude in New Orleans is that the Saints need to take a back seat. Maybe you have the same petty corrupt little politicians who don't want a big grand master plan to encourage development downtown because that means less money for graft to funnel to their little cronies. Maybe all the plans for a new facility are off the table and the Saints were just expected to sit there and swallow huge losses in a patched-together Superdome for the forseeable future, because it was supposedly their civic duty in light of the catastrophe.
So, maybe you can let me know. Am I right, and is Benson walking away from an agreement that was still in place in principle? Or am I wrong, and is he walking away from a city that dropped him to the bottom of the priority list?
tgrgrd00,
I’m very sorry for your losses as well as every one else in New Orleans, Louisiana and Mississippi who are struggling to put pieces back together again.
Your comparison of San Antonio losing the Spurs to New Orleans losing the Saints is a valid one in terms of loss and sentiment and what people turn to in times of tragedy to feel better if just for a moment. I’m a native San Antonian and been a Spurs fan since junior high in the mid-seventies. The Spurs may be champions now but that has not always been the case and anyone who went through thick and thin with them in the 80’s knows what I’m talking about. But if a natural disaster struck SA to the magnitude of Katrina destruction I would not place a very high priority on the Spurs. I’m sure I would be hurt if Austin took them but my real focus is elsewhere as perhaps yours really is. I’ve suffered through some serious personal losses before and while I may have enjoyed watching a game to break away for a bit it was just that – a temporary break. If my city was re-building I would definitely not put a priority on funding for rebuilding the SBC Center in any way shape or form while people are homeless and have no work. I would support the rebuilding of infrastructure and luring of businesses back to the area as well as providing stable school systems. Maybe it’s me but re-establishing the presence of professional sports would be a fairly low priority if any in the context of things.
As we in other cities understand the situation in New Orleans, and as you mention, businesses have relocated both permanently and temporarily, unemployment claims are thirteen times higher this month than they were last year (per the Times-Picayune). Many neighborhoods are unlivable and many people have just decided to relocate altogether. This is the picture that is presented outside NO. With this situation I ask you honestly, where is the financial support for the Saints going to be generated from in the near future? I understand the emotional response but I’m asking for a practical response. I’d like to see the Saints back in NO as much as anyone but I don't see it happening.
I agree that our Mayor is not the most politically tactical individual on the face of the Earth. He lacks political couth in his public statements especially the Baton Rouge comments. That aside, would it have been easier if he waited until the lease deadline next month or after the season? And if they are moved to LA is it any more hurtful if Paul Tagliabue has his way instead of Tom Benson?
SHinerBockGirl, the flood in SA has absolutely no relation to La luring the Spurs nor can it be compared to the devastation in NO.
Last edited by gameFACE; 10-19-2005 at 12:41 PM.
Give me a ing break. When someone compares your courting of the Spurs you call it apples and oranges? Only because you were on the other side of the fence.
I'm sick of this from NO fans. I sweat my ass off in warehouses to help you people and I worked when tired as at shelters to help people out. And because of a private business franchise's actions, fans like you have be ting on San Antonio all over Saintsreport.com and now here as well.
I'm just flat out sick of it. You need to pull your head out of your ass and get some damn perspective. When your city is a virtual wasteland with no viable stadium and your people have real problems you need to get over the fact that you may lose your franchise. San Antonio's leadership is in place to look after San Antonio's interests, not New Orleans. We didn't elect them so that they could take actions that give YOU the warm fuzzies, we put them in office to do the best they could for San Antonio.
And with that in mind, they HAVE done things that are in the best interests of residents from NOLA. They are footing the bill for housing a good deal of them when there isn't much money to go around. That mayor of ours that is being portrayed as a villian by fans like yourself and the media that cators to them was a ing saint when the disaster struck.
So, quite frankly, you and the rest of the so called Saints nation can go yourselves. I'm sick of you assholes who act as though we're stealing your wife. I hope we get the team and I hope they broadcast every ing game in NOLA so you can see us cheering them on.
I don't think the at ude in N.O. is that the Saints take a back seat. Everyone in N.O. knows that the Saints are our most recognizable corporation. We only have one fortune 500 company and they are filing bankruptcy. They are working on bids from contractors to repair the dome as I type.
Benson...after all the money we have made for him through the Saints and direct payments has dropped us to the bottom of HIS priority list. We have many problems and we always....always put him right at the top because we love the Saints...not him.
Benson has an agreement in written contract with the city not principle.
You could say that about alot of owners in every sports league in this country.
Look, we are talking about entertainment. What's more important to NO residents right now? A team or finding a place to live and a way to survive?
Yes, everyone feels sorry for your plight. But there's no human right to a NFL franchise.
But that's probably about to end because of the very language of the contract.Benson has an agreement in written contract with the city not principle.
What then?
I think the 65,556 ppl who were at the Saints game could have cared less about reputation...Where was SA's reputation taking in 20,000 refugees and still placing them in homes??? All down the drain because we want an NFL team that is homeless maybe for years???? I guess i'll take the bad reputation...
Iam a Texans fan, but while the Saints are here, i will continue to support them. If and when they leave, I wish them all the best....Like i said earlier, i think they will end up in Los Angeles anyways..
And for the next asshole who says San Antonio is stealing anything, they may want to realize New Orleans doesn't own the ing Saints.
It is not the same situation...if you think it is you are warped. Several of your own posters on this board agree.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you have done to help us in our time of need.
It is because of your mayor and city leaders you are getting on. What do you expect?
We have viable stadium options. Both in Baton Rouge and N.O. The superdome has insurance and can be repaired fairly quickly.
I hope your leaders are doing what is best for S.A. I would expect nothing less.
You know what...I am sick of it too. I am sick on S.A. trying to take our team away from us when we have so much more to do. I am sick of pulling up carpet and tearing out sheet rock...I am sick of that ing smell coming from refrigerators with rotton food...I am sick of getting on by the federal government when we provide so much for this nation. My head is not in my ass. I know what is going on...S.A. is trying to take advantage of a disadvantaged city...and I am sick of it just like you are sick of it too.
Again thank you for your assistance and I assure you when we are capable and God forbid it necessary we will do the same for you. Your mayor was quite Saintly after the storm.
You are stealing our wife you !!!!!!!
Well again, they are voicing their opinions to the WRONG ppl....I didn't like the shirts either and that was wrong. SA is just as tired of them as they are of us...Nothing more to say....
Yes, it was that bad of a market before Katrina that the team could command a public subsidy.
Benson kept that team in New Orleans for a long time when it would've been worth much more elsewhere. Yeah, maybe's he's a at the moment for not giving more to New Orleans.
There's no right to a NFL franchise for a city or its residents. I don't see what's so important about having a NFL team now in a city that has considerably more pressing concerns at the moment.
Saints fans want to act as those SA doesn't have its priorities in order, well, your city's been wiped out, your neighbors spread all over the place or dead, and you are worried about a damn football team?
Exactly....a team isn't that important at the moment. So you are going to come in and take that away while we are doing do many other things? Come in and take the franchise while we are away tending to more important matters? That is awfly neighborly of you...don't turn your back we are coming after the Alamo the next time you have a flood.
There is no human right to the Alamo is there?
Do you really think LA's news is going to say anything good about Benson right now???? lol....Understandable, but i take what they say with a grain of salt, the same as i take anything here seriously yet....
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