Superdome commission okays nearly half-billion dollar renovation plan




See renderings of renovated Dome
The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, commonly known as the Superdome commission, today picked a contractor for the $450 million dollars in upgrades planned over the next few years.
Broadmoor LLC, a New Orleans-based firm, received the LSED's approval for the first phase of construction, which will begin either after the January 13 college football championship game, or the January 19 NFC Championship Game, should the Saints host it.
The overall project includes tearing out the pedestrian ramps that take patrons to the upper levels of the Superdome and replacing them with escalators, improved concourses and lounges, and new field-level suites.
The work will be done in phases to accommodate the next few NFL seasons and Essence festivals, but the work has a hard deadline -- it must be finished by the 2023 NFL season so it will all be in place when New Orleans hosts Super Bowl LVIII on February 4, 2024.
The improvements are also seen as vital to keeping the Saints in New Orleans. The team has agreed to provide a third of the funding. Officials are in talks with the Saints to extend their current agreement through at least 2035 with an option to extend it to 2055.