Congrats:What a moving words from the Saint of New Orleans

Congrats:What a moving words from the Saint of New Orleans

ATLANTA — Gayle Benson held off on sharing the news right away.

During a conference call with New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Governor John Bel Edwards, she was asked how her morning went and she responded. Bidding for the 2024 Super Bowl was thrilling and a little stressful, but all in all, it was a positive experience for the new Saints owner.

That was hardly the news that was anticipated by all. Those who were waiting outside the Whitley hotel had a pretty decent idea of what was going on because they had seen a tray of champagne brought to the Saints’ room. However, the people on the call were hoping for a detailed statement. A voice interrupted. “Is there good news here?

Even though New Orleans was the only place invited to bid on the game, the outcome seemed inevitable, but there were still some anxious nights before the voting on Wednesday. What would happen if it went wrong? What if the NFL owners got into a political conflict of some kind? It was all for nothing. Benson and Saints president Dennis Lauscha made their case, and the vote was unanimous to give the game to the city.

The pair’s pitch focused on promoting the city’s best qualities, including its small downtown area, built-in entertainment, and the fact that it’s really New Orleans—a place that understands how to host to the rest of the nation—in the same stadium where Minnesota defeated New Orleans for the 2018 game. The

Benson remarked, “New Orleans is a very special city.” It’s distinct. It is unlike any other city in the vicinity. We simply have so much to offer, including hotels, restaurants, music, and culture. Everything is with us. It ought to be present each year.

However, there was also a sentimental component. On a screen, old footage of the late Saints owner Tom Benson (who passed away in March) was shown during the presentation. A few of the pictures made me smile. Some displayed slightly greater emotion. The lyrics of Gayle Benson provided a “riveting” background.

Sam Joffray of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation stated, “The speech was from the heart, even though the words were written down.” “It was felt by everyone in the room.”

During the pitch, New Orleans & Company president Stephen Perry, GNSOF board member Phillip Sherman, Saints COO Ben Hales, and spokesman Greg Bensel all represented New Orleans in addition to Benson and Lauscha. Joffray, who was also in town, assisted Benson and Lauscha with the presentation preparation until late on Tuesday.

This year’s Super Bowl bidding procedure was altered. For the 2023 game and the 2024 game, the NFL collaborated only with Arizona and New Orleans, rather than having many franchises submit competing proposals. When the league chose Tampa Bay to replace Los Angeles in 2021 due to delays in building a new stadium, it recognized the advantages of that strategy last year.

The league realized that by adopting this strategy, it could not only elicit competitive bids but also lessen the resentment that losing clubs and cities frequently feel after their bids are rejected. Having lost its previous two bids to Minnesota and Atlanta—two teams that were rewarded for constructing new stadiums—New Orleans is well aware of this.

New Orleans, therefore, sold the rest of the league on a city that many have been dying to return to since the game was played here last in 2013, having spent the preceding six months trying to please the NFL and fulfill all of its requests.

For a city whose economy depends heavily on tourism, the triumph is noteworthy.

“There is a huge economic impact,” Cantrell declared. Here, the previous Super Bowl brought in more than $480 million. We’re talking about a serious blow to the arm. We’ve demonstrated why our location is unmatched and unique, and I think the NFL understands that. They have a good cause for visiting New Orleans for the eleventh time.

According to a statement from Edwards, “the Super Bowl stands to be a major economic boost to the region.” “I would like to express my gratitude to the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation for spearheading this endeavor, and to Mrs. Gayle Benson and the New Orleans Saints organization for acting as fantastic representatives.”

The GNOSF’s Jay Cicero, Joffray, and other members worked tirelessly for six months to prepare the presentation and satisfy the league’s expectations. Their efforts paid off, as they were able to win. Although that group took the lead, they collaborated on the bid with the Saints, Cantrell, Edwards, the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and SMG, the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, and a number of hotels and hospitality venues. Former Mayor Mitch Landrieu was also involved.

It was not a condition of the bid process or of winning the game to commit to renovating the Superdome. Benson did, however, state in her post-announcement statements that the structure would undergo numerous modifications before to the 2024

It’s unclear what those upgrades will include just yet. On Wednesday, the Advocate was informed that the procedure is yet unknown and that discussions and debates on the subject are still occurring.

The renovations being considered ranged in cost from $150 million to $500 million when a digital survey and documentation for the building was approved in March. These included, among other things, improving terrace seating, removing interior ramps, and installing glazed windows to the stadium exterior and field-level bunker seats.

However, such issues will eventually be resolved. For now, though, New Orleans needs to get ready for the Super Bowl. The team eventually completed the task, even if it took a while.

The real work starts now.