The New Orleans Saints will remain in their home city. The Saints made public on Thursday their agreement to a 10-year extension to their existing lease, ensuring their continued presence at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans through the year 2035.
The Saints have called the Superdome their home turf since 1975, and team owner Gayle Benson acknowledged that she had been engaged in discussions with city officials regarding this agreement for a considerable period.
“The process of reaching this agreement involved discussions that occurred throughout two mayoral administrations, the global pandemic, and the impact of Hurricane Ida,” Benson stated, as reported on the Saints’ official website. “I am extremely pleased that we will be submitting a finalized version of this agreement to the NFL for their review and endorsement.”
“We have been involved in numerous negotiations with the state government throughout my tenure. In each instance, we have achieved a more robust collaboration, leading to a more defined strategy for shared achievements for both the state and the team, but more importantly, for our fans. And I am assured that this holds true in this case.”
New Orleans was the site of the recent Super Bowl (LIX), where Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles were victorious over the Kansas City Chiefs, with a final score of 40-22. Having previously hosted 11 Super Bowls, Benson is committed to securing the opportunity to host another one promptly.
“What we accomplished this past February demonstrated the potential of our collaborative endeavors,” Benson commented. “Although the timeline for securing another Super Bowl has become somewhat condensed, I remain optimistic.”
“Following the NFL’s endorsement of this lease extension – which I am confident will occur – we will be eligible to formally request consideration from the NFL to host future Super Bowls. I communicated to [commissioner Roger Goodell] that we would be returning to his office to advocate for our city’s selection as a host for another Super Bowl in the near future, once this extension is officially ratified.”
The Saints franchise was officially established in 1966, initially playing their games at Tulane Stadium until the transition to the Superdome in 1975. The New Orleans team has secured one Super Bowl victory to date, which took place during the 2009 season, with Drew Brees leading the team to a 31-17 win against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.
