The Potential Repercussions for the Saints and New Orleans Because of a Missed Deadline
When your boss assigns you a project, you are probably given a deadline by which to have it completed. Regardless of whether that due date is several days, a week, or a month away, it is essential to create a plan. Aside from having the necessary resources and personnel, it is crucial to have all the details ironed out so that there are no last-minute problems that will hinder the process. Some of these details may be small, such as a signature on a form, or large, such as a technical issue that halts all progress. The National Football League, like any business, plans years for its largest income-generating event by determining where it will take place. Any city that wants to experience this financial “boom” in its local economy must prove that it possesses specific criteria, particularly the certainty of the facility, at the location-assigning part of the meeting.
A recent example of this is the New Orleans Saints' plan to host the 2031 Super Bowl at the Caesars Superdome. Last week, it appeared that a new long-term lease would keep the team in New Orleans for at least another decade. However, that lease had not yet been finalized beyond 2030, which caused the city to not be among those considered. Missing that key NFL deadline in its bid to host Super Bowl LXV at the Caesars Superdome in 2031 will hurt the tourist-related businesses that rely on that revenue brought in from people around the world who gather for that weekend to attend the game. Other locations throughout the country will now compete for this opportunity, especially those that have newer stadiums compared to the now-excluded 45-year-old structure.
This year’s Super Bowl at the Superdome between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs was regarded as a huge event attended by 65,719 people. The generation of $1.25 billion to the city of New Orleans made it the second most financially impactful Super Bowl in NFL history. It also had the benefit of bringing in $658 million in visitor and vendor spending, $395 million in worker wages from 9,787 local jobs, and $82.7 million in tax revenue. The next Super Bowl has been awarded to San Francisco and Los Angeles in 2027 and Atlanta in 2028. Although the location for 2029 and 2030 is still undecided, Las Vegas and Nashville are among those cities interested in hosting the event. If they can prove that the lease agreement will be finalized by the end of the month, perhaps the NFL committee will grant the city of New Orleans an extension to submit its plan.
