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So does this mean Benson can't get out of his contract if the dome is ruled usable??? This doesn't look good for SA....
Officials: Dome likely OK for some Saints games in '06
: link :
Associated Press
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Louisiana Superdome officials said Thursday that the stadium should be largely cleaned up from Hurricane Katrina and ready for the New Orleans Saints to play at least some of their games there in 2006.
However, the announcement came as San Antonio officials said they were working Saints owner Tom Benson to keep the team in Texas. The state must also respond to the team's assertions that its state-owned practice facility has been rendered unusable by damages caused by federal agencies in the weeks following the Aug. 29 storm.
The Superdome, severely damaged by high winds, should have a temporary roof in place within 10 days, said Doug Thornton, regional vice president for SMG, which manages the Superdome. An environmental assessment of its interior -- damaged by rainfall through holes in the roof and its use as a shelter for evacuees -- should be finished by Dec. 1, he said.
"We're working to make the Dome ready for the next season," Thornton said at a meeting of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District Commission, the state board that oversees the Superdome.
The Saints have drawn criticism recently with shake ups in upper-level staff, as Benson apparently leans toward moving the team from New Orleans to San Antonio.
On Monday, Benson fired Arnold Fielkow, the team's top business executive since 2000 and an advocate for keeping the Saints in Louisiana. Fielkow has said that stance led to his dismissal. On Tuesday, Conrad Kowal, senior director of marketing and business development, resigned.
The team also sent a letter to the Louisiana National Guard and the stadium commission, saying their Jefferson Parish practice facility, leased from the state for $1 per year, has been damaged so badly by federal actions after the storm that the team cannot return "for some time [if ever]."
"These actions have effectively terminated the Saints' lease for the facility and have caused great and continuing damage to the team," said the letter, signed by lawyers for the team.
Tim Coulon, head of the stadium commission and the state's negotiator with the team, said Thursday that state officials planned to inspect damage at the practice facility next week.
"If there's some damage to those buildings, we're going to rectify that," Coulon said.
Asked it he thought the letter was Benson's first step toward leaving New Orleans, Coulon said he hoped not.
"I don't want to speculate, because I haven't heard from him," Coulon said. "But it's not too late [for Benson] to step up to the plate and be the good citizen."
Under the terms of the state's contract with the team, the Saints could argue that the storm has made the stadium unusable, move to another state and avoid paying an $81 million penalty, Coulon said.
Coulon said the state would fight such a move, probably in court or in arbitration.
So does this mean Benson can't get out of his contract if the dome is ruled usable??? This doesn't look good for SA....
He can still get out of the contract.
Their going to put a temporary roof on...LOL....GEEZZZ, why not just pitch a giant tent right next to the dome and play there....Let the players be even more humilated...
I would think it would take many months just to disinfect the place and they said it would be ready by december...Somethings wrong with that picture if the smell is as bad as everyone said....Thats creepy...
Al Davis?
New Orleans officials are scrambling to clean up the Superdome as much as possible so they can take Benson to court when he inevitably exercises that "force majeure" clause.
They haven't played all their cards yet. My thinking is they try to tie up the move in litigation, get a Louisiana court jurisdiction, and have a judge issue an injunction against the Saints forcing them to play in New Orleans.
Will it stick? Probably not, but working through the system takes time, and that keeps the team in Louisiana a little while longer, and buys the city and Tagliabue some more time to twist the screws on Benson.
Benson not the most honest, but he is smart so he's up to something...He's also a man that does not like to lose so its going to be interesting....
When your team threatens to move away, you tend to go all out to try to keep them.
They haven't played all their cards yet. My thinking is they try to tie up the move in litigation, get a Louisiana court jurisdiction, and have a judge issue an injunction against the Saints forcing them to play in New Orleans.What are they going to do? Drive down to SA and drag everyone back there?
What good is having a stadium with a temporary roof when you don't have any residents in your city to ing see the games?
When the Force Majeur clause was first discussed, it was stated that the only thing neccessary was for an Act of God to prevent the Superdome from hosting one game. They've already failed to host three, our two, plus that HOMEgame at the Meadowlands.
I think Benson will wait for the last day to file it. Thanks to the recently fired blabbermouth, they have to play those 4 games at B.R. after the league stepped in. Those folks will not take kindly to the filing, and will probably take it out on the team. Those last two games in December are going to suck for the players.
My understanding from reading various articles is that the whole season doesnt have to be lost for the destruction clause to go into effect. Some even say it only has to be 1 game. If its envoked end of Nov, thats at least 4 missed games this year after its envoked and probably at least half the season next year.
Plus in the paper Monday, it had a quote from the LA Dome Authority saying they couldnt stop Benson from envoking it and getting out of it.
Further, the NFL doesnt want to stay in NO. I laugh every time I hear Saint fan act like he is their savior. He wants the team in Los Angl. Peter King first reported when Katrina hit that Tags plan was for 1 year in BR then to Los Angl
Exactly.Further, the NFL doesnt want to stay in NO. I laugh every time I hear Saint fan act like he is their savior. He wants the team in Los Angl.
I remember that article on the Force Majeur. Everyone did already act like the criteria had been met, and it only had to be invoked. I think Benson has played this pretty smart. He's giving them all the rope they want, and Nagin is running with it and throwing it over the branch.
Even if Benson doesn't win the force majeur, he simply has to pay the state 81 million a poof he's out of his contract.
Just a reminder of what Force Majeur really means.
It is really great they get to enforce the Force Majeur clause isn't it????
So you'd rather have state money going into Benson's pocket than to, say, fixing houses like the one pictured.
Understood.
You're being done a favor -- now we get to waste money on Benson.
No I am saying it took destruction like this in order for the contract to be broken and people are happy about it and are looking forward to when the "destruction" clause will go in to effect.
Don't do us anymore more favors if this is what you consider a favor.
Yeah, we were dancing in the streets when Katrina hit, idiot.No I am saying it took destruction like this in order for the contract to be broken and people are happy about it and are looking forward to when the "destruction" clause will go in to effect.If you want to give Tom even more money than you promised before, when half your city now doesn't exist, be my guest. Nice priorities you've got there.Don't do us anymore more favors if this is what you consider a favor.
Sure looks like you are dancing in the streets now. I guess it makes it ok because it is 7 weeks later.
I noticed S.A. has their priorities in order too.
1.)help the people
2.)steal their team
Let this state worry about how much we pay Benson and how we do it. You have your priorities and we have ours.
The Saints economic impact in the long run is well worth whatever we pay them...saying that we can't afford them is a sorry excuse for your mayors etc. actions.
Go yourself. I don't think the team will end up here and have no say one way or the other.Sure looks like you are dancing in the streets now.How much do you want the state to pay?Let this state worry about how much we pay Benson and how we do it.
What rebuilding effort would you like to turn down because the money is earmarked for Benson's pocket?
A hospital?
A neighborhood?
What is Tom Benson's bottom line really worth to you?
Give me the answer in millions.
Thats why Nagins a dumbass for his comments yesterday. Who knows maybe Benson is forced to pay the $81 mil. Maybe then he rethinks his stance. But with Nagin and other La politicians telling him to go to he may pay it out of spite and because La burnt its bridges.
As for the dome comments, its all just spin.
The only hope NO has of getting the "Cleveland plan" is to play up the "Benson is the devil" card. Say the domes ok so when Benson opts out, the general uninformed population will get up in arms. I mean come on...."Other than the big ass holes in the roof, the domes ok"
Hey turdgrid - Portland is stealing your musicians!!! Sic 'em!!!
We should pay Benson what we agreed to pay Benson.
Hospitals have insurance.
Houses in neighborhoods have insurance too.
The state is going to recieve billions in federal aid for rebuilding and reconstruction projects.
The major hotels in the city are going to be at 100% by February. Mardi Gras is going to happen and so is Jazz Fest. The casino is going to be open shortly. The oil and gas rigs are coming back on line daily.
These are all ways by which we pay Benson his ransom...I don't see why any rebuilding effort would have to be left out.
You must understand that long term...paying Benson his money is the best thing for the city and the state. Once we are guaranteed another Super Bowl. Every payment made to the evil owner is worth it. We can't be short sighted here.
Oh and why was the "go yourself" necessary? Your mayor sure seems to be dancing in the streets per say about the opportunity.
Has the Super Bowl always been played in a NFL stadium?
I'm not sure as far as history back to the start of the league.
I know that now the Super Bowl can only be played in an NFL stadium. We have been told numerous times that if/when we lose the Saints we can't get any more Super Bowls.
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