Caesars Superdome - The Stadium That Survived a Hurricane

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Caesars Superdome - The Stadium That Survived a Hurricane

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Superdome - The Stadium that Survived a Hurricane
The Louisiana Superdome is one of the most revered stadiums in the NFL. Whether it is hosting a Super Bowl, New Orleans Saints games, or keeping residents safe from a hurricane, the Super Dome has seen it all. Plans for the stadium were initially drawn up in 1967 by Curtis and Davis. It took 8 years before the stadium would finally open as the largest fixed domed structure in the world, with the final cost coming in at $165 million dollars, some 3.5 times the initial budget of $46 million dollars, as well as three years past schedule. The stadium was so far behind schedule that Super Bowl IX, originally awarded to the Super Dome had to be played at Tulane Stadium instead, which was then condemned for demolition later that year. To add to the bad luck, the Saints christened their stadium with a 21-0 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in their first regular season game.
The entire steel frame of the dome covers a staggering 13 acres, and stands at 273 feet high. Events that have taken place under the dome include the Super Bowl, the College Football Championship, college basketball final four, New Orleans Jazz games, and even home games for Tulane University football until 2014.
The Superdome was operated continuously until 2005 when it was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. The intense hurricane tore apart the iconic stadium, peeling off a large section of the outer metal coating like a tin can. Amazingly despite the intensity of the storm, only three deaths were reported. The stadium had done its job to keep New Orleans residents safe as a shelter of last resort.
Despite millions of dollars worth of damage inside and out, the stadium was renovated and reopened in time for the Saints 2006 home opener game.
In 2011 the Super Dome had its naming rights purchased by luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes paid for ten year naming rights for the stadium to be called the Mercedez-Benz Super Dome, although this contract is set to expire in July 2021. This naming rights deal capped off nearly three years of renovations that included new turf, adding windows to the outside of the stadium, replacing more than 400,000 feet of aluminum panels, and the addition of luxury bunker club lounges. The renovations improved access to the various lounges and concourses in the dome and enabled it to host high profile events going into the future.
One of these high profile events nearly ended in disaster when on February 3, 2013 the Super Dome lost power during Super bowl XLVII. Play was halted for 34 minutes while crews worked hard to restore power. Audio for the official broadcast was even cut off for two minutes, as CBS struggled to get their communication channels back online. A report would later show a relay designed to prevent an electrical overload caused the failure. The interior floodlighting in the stadium was completely replaced in 2016 with more efficient LEDs to brighten and modernize the venue further.
The Super Dome continues to be an iconic part of the New Orleans skyline nearly 50 years after it was built. The stadium will continue to be around for years to come thanks to recent upgrades and a planned $450 million dollar renovation to the dome.

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@boogitybear2283 2 жыл бұрын

It was expensive to build, but it’s definitely made it’s money’s worth times a thousand. They must keep it standing as long as possible. The Superdome was well built way ahead of its time. That and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis are my two favorite structures in America.