does new orleans deseve a new stadium? after all the rapes and deaths should they have to play there?

Answer 1

The rapes and deaths never happened. The only deaths were old people.

It was the invention of the racist media.

From a story in yesterday's Lafayette Daily Advertiser:




There's no home like Dome
Glenn Guilbeau
[e-mail]

NEW ORLEANS - "Over the streets named Bourbon and Basin, St. Charles and Desire; over the river that's still sung about; over sad jazz erupting into laughter; over the glory of cuisine by the masters, the Superdome rises." - Author unknown from New Orleans Saints game day program of Aug. 9, 1975.
That was the night the Louisiana Superdome opened. The Saints, under coach John North and quarterback Archie Manning, beat the Houston Oilers and first-year and relatively unknown coach Bum Phillips, 13-7, in front of 72,434.




It looked like a spaceship with huge ramps leading up to the doors from Poydras, Girod and LaSalle streets and Claiborne Avenue. There was new, colorful carpeting everywhere. There were plush, cushioned seats with drink holders. This was not Tulane Stadium with its rusted rails and wooden, uncomfortable seats, where the Saints had played since 1967 through wind and rain and harsh humidity.

A huge gondola hung from the roof with four video screens. When people entered the top terrace-level portal, turned and looked up toward their seats, they marveled at how high up they still had to go.
Warren Doussan and his son Warren Jr. were high in the terrace that night.

"I remember the beauty and the excitement," the elder Doussan said Sunday from Pass Christian, Miss. "The whole country knew about it, and there we were."

It's more than 31 years later, and the world will be watching again tonight when the 2-0 New Orleans Saints play the 2-0 Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football in a new and improved Superdome that opens again after a year off because of Hurricane Katrina's wrath on its roof and nearly everything underneath.

The Saints, who have played 23 road games since the storm, will play their first regular season home game since beating the Falcons 26-13 on Dec. 26, 2004.

The dome is brighter. The concrete that circles the dome between the seating levels is painted lighter. All the bulbs are new. There are 22,000 new seats. Those and all the rest sold out last week for the entire season. The suites have been repaired and renovated, and for the first time they are nearly all sold out.

The gondola is long gone, but there are new video screens all over. There is a new scoreboard. It read Saints 21, Falcons 10 Sunday just for fun. The playing surface is as green as the old Tulane Stadium grass.

"There's a fresh feel," said Shreveport native Doug Thornton, who oversees the dome as regional vice president of the SMG company. "I never thought it would look this good so fast."

It was not fresh 13 months ago. The smell of human waste permeated the dome as 30,000 Katrina evacuees were housed in it. When winds peeled the roof off, rain water gathered everywhere. The toilets backed up. Trash was everywhere.

"Three or four inches of sewage came up right here at the goal line," Thornton said Sunday while taking various media on a tour of the dome. Thornton stayed in the dome with the evacuees for several days after Katrina hit on Aug. 29. So did Associated Press reporter Mary Foster.

"I can't describe the smell," Foster said, "but I'll never forget it."

A man committed suicide, jumping to his death from one of the upper levels. There were rampant rumors of rape, murders and prostitution, but little was confirmed.

"We confirmed that 11 people died," said Foster, who was one of the last ones to leave as she made final checks for bodies with police. "None of them were from violence. They were special care patients, the elderly. I saw a lot of people miserable and suffering in the heat, but I didn't see a lot of violence. What people should remember is how many people's lives the dome may have saved."

Those stranded on roof tops were brought to the dome. The homeless before Katrina and the homeless after Katrina came to the dome.

"It's an unbelievable symbol," Thornton said. "It's iconic for the people of New Orleans. This is our version of ground zero. It's also very important to the economy. We'll employ 2,500 people Monday night, not to mention what a game like this does for the hotels and taxi cab drivers. If we can rebuild this, it can happen in the neighborhoods."

Answer 2

I'm from Louisiana and I think that the Superdome is fine as it is... IF the stories about the rapes and deaths are true, I'm sure that the Superdome is not the only stadium in the NFL that people have died in (Isn't a mob boss under the end zone of Giants Stadium??) What happened During Hurricane Katrina is the past, and we all need to move ahead.. Yes awful things happed in not just the Superdome, but all over New Orleans, and the rest of South Louisiana last year.. I think that the dome looked better than it ever has last night and is a great sign that New Orleans has got the ball moving and will put everything on the fast track to bring back Louisiana... By the way.. Geaux Saints....

Answer 3

I don't think the people who went to last night's game were to concerned about what happened last year as they entered the dome for the first time in a year. I am sure there were many heads bowed and many prayers said, but when the kick off happened, oh well, you can guess the rest. We need to move forward and make the best out of what went on. Everyone does not need to suffer for a few bad eggs. Yea, I'm fron La. and Yea, it would be an honor to play there and watch the Saints bring a little happiness to our great state.

Answer 4

They spent $185 Million renovating the Superdome. That structure became a symbol of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The renovation of it, and the return of Saints football, symbolizes a rejuvenation (of sorts) for the City of New Orleans. They don't need a new stadium.

Answer 5

Not that New Orleans deserves a new stadium, but the people of New Orleans deserve a new stadium. Criminals don't need to be taken into consideration when making such decisions, really. I don't see it as a reason for or against considering what the rest of the citizens need.

Answer 6

WOW
Its obvious New Orleans has alot more important things to spend money on.

Like REBUILDING THE CITY for example

Answer 7

A lot of the stories of rape and death were grossly exaggerated.

Answer 8

Amen. The rich get richer while the poor are raped and die.

Answer 9

Enough money to those deadbeats! They appreciate nothing!!