"Superdome" | |
Former names |
Louisiana Superdome (1975–2011) |
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Louisiana Superdome
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Coordinates | 29°57′3″N 90°4′52″W / 29.95083°N 90.08111°WCoordinates: 29°57′3″N 90°4′52″W / 29.95083°N 90.08111°W |
Architectural style | Other |
NRHP Reference # | 15001004 |
Designated | January 27, 2016 |
Address | 1500 Sugar Bowl Drive |
Location | New Orleans, Louisiana |
Owner | Louisiana Stadium/Expo District |
Operator | SMG |
Capacity |
American football: 73,208 (expandable to 76,468) Basketball: 55,675 |
Record attendance | 76,216 (Quarters All-Star Game, 2017) 73,373 (Saints vs Baltimore Ravens, November 24th, 2014) Baseball: 56,941 |
Surface | Monsanto "Mardi Grass" turf (1975–2003) FieldTurf (2003–2006) Sportexe Momentum Turf (2006–2009) UBU Speed Series S5-M Synthetic Turf (2010–present) Concrete for multipurpose events |
Construction | |
Broke ground | August 12, 1971 |
Opened | August 3, 1975 |
Reopened | September 25, 2006 |
Construction cost | US$134 million (Initial) ($596 million in 2017 dollars) US$193 million (2005–06 repairs) Renovations: ($229 million in 2017 dollars) |
Architect | Curtis and Davis Associated Edward B. Silverstein & Associates Nolan, Norman & Nolan |
Structural engineer |
Sverdrup & Parcel Thornton Tomasetti (2006 repairs) |
General contractor | Huber, Hunt, & Nichols/Blount Joint Venture |
Tenants | |
New Orleans Saints (NFL) (1975–present) Sugar Bowl (NCAA) (1975–present) Tulane Green Wave (NCAA) (1975–2013) New Orleans Jazz (NBA) (1975–1979) New Orleans Pelicans (AA) (1977) New Orleans Breakers (USFL) (1984) New Orleans Night (AFL) (1991–1992) New Orleans Bowl (NCAA) (2001–present) New Orleans VooDoo (AFL) (2013) |
Louisiana Superdome (1975–2011)
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, often referred to simply as the Superdome, is a domed sports and exhibition venue located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It primarily serves as the home venue for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL), and is also the home stadium for the Sugar Bowl and New Orleans Bowl in college football. Plans were drawn up in 1967 by the New Orleans modernist architectural firm of Curtis and Davis and the building opened as the Louisiana Superdome in 1975. Its steel frame covers a 13-acre (5.3 ha) expanse and the 273-foot (83 m) dome is made of a lamellar multi-ringed frame and has a diameter of 680 feet (210 m), making it the largest fixed domed structure in the world. It is adjacent to the Smoothie King Center.
Because of the building's size and location in one of the major tourist destinations of the United States, the Superdome routinely hosts major sporting events, including the Super Bowl, College Football Championship Game, and the Final Four in college basketball. The stadium was also the long-time home of the Tulane Green Wave football team of Tulane University until 2013 and was the home venue of the New Orleans Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1975 until 1979.
The Superdome gained international attention of a different type in 2005 when it housed thousands of people seeking shelter from Hurricane Katrina. The building suffered extensive damage as a result of the storm, and was closed for many months afterward. It was eventually decided the building would be fully refurbished and reopened in time for the Saints' 2006 home opener on September 25.