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Superdome Information
The Louisiana Superdome, often informally referred to simply as the Superdome, The Dome or even the New Orleans Superdome is a large, multi-purpose sports and exhibition facility located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana. The Superdome is the current home of the NFL's New Orleans Saints.
The Superdome is the largest fixed domed structure in the world, but it lost its title as the largest domed structure when the Georgia Dome in Atlanta was completed in 1992. (Both the Superdome and Georgia Dome were surpassed in size by the London's Millennium Dome in 1999.)
Stadium History
The brainchild of local sports visionary David Dixon (who decades later also would found the USFL), the idea for the Superdome was born while Dixon was attempting to convince the NFL to award a franchise to New Orleans. After hosting several exhibition games at Tulane Stadium during typical New Orleans summer thunderstorms, Dixon was told by NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle that the NFL would never expand into New Orleans without a domed stadium. Dixon then won the support of the governor of Louisiana, John J. McKeithen. When they toured the Astrodome in Houston, Texas in 1967, McKeithen was quoted as saying, "I want one of these, only bigger," in reference to the Astrodome itself. He would get his wish five years later.
Construction started on August 11, 1971 and was finished in November 1975. The New Orleans Saints opened the 1975 NFL season at the Superdome. Tulane Stadium, which had served as the Saints' first home and the city's primary stadium, was condemned on the day the Superdome opened.
The Superdome's look was the work of local architect, Nathaniel "Buster" Curtis of Curtis & Davis. The contractor was Huber, Hunt & Nichols.
The Superdome is located on 52 acres (210,437 m²) of land, including the former Girod Street Cemetery. The dome has an interior space of 125,000,000 ft³ (3,500,000 m³), a height of 253 feet (77 m), a dome diameter of 680 feet (207 m), and a total floor area of 269,000 square feet (24,991 m²).
The New Orleans Arena, a smaller indoor arena adjacent to the Louisiana Superdome, opened on October 19, 1999. It was designed by Arthur Q. Davis, whose former firm had designed the Superdome.
The Superdome converted to an AstroPlay artificial grass surface during the 2003 football season, with the first game on AstroPlay played on November 16, 2003. The AstroPlay was later replaced with a FieldTurf surface. After being damaged in flooding from Hurricane Katrina, a new FieldTurf surface was installed for the 2006 football season.
HOME OF MAJOR SPORTS EVENTS
New Orleans Saints (NFL Football).
Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic
Tulane University (NCAA Division I Football).
Bayou Classic Football (Grambling State and Southern University).
State Farm Prep Classic (LHSAA Football Championships).
Super Bowls XII (1978), XV (1981), XX (1986), XXIV (1990), XXXI (1997) & XXXVI (2002).
NCAA Basketball Final Four (1982, 1987, 1993, 2003).
NCAA Basketball, Division I Regionals (1981, 1990, 1999, 2001).
Southeastern Conference (SEC) Basketball Tournament (1996, 2003).
New Orleans Bowl (Sun Belt Champion vs. Conf. USA)
ANNUAL SUPERDOME EVENTS
Endymion Extravaganza Mardi Gras Parade and Party
Essence Music Festival
New Orleans Home & Garden Show
New Orleans Auto Show
U.S. Hot Rod Assn. Grand Slam Motor Jam
Mardi Gras Marathon
Times-Picayune Doll & Toy Fund Distribution
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