Actually, I believe that has been discussed. Nagin had a casino plan. Setting up about 6 Casinos downtown sorta like a mini-Vegas or something to create revenue and bring jobs and tourism. Although, I believe it was shot down though by Blanco. But I am all on board with that idea.
Here's the plan anyway:


http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/10/07/new...nos/index.html

of course she objected, why would she want to do anything to help with the recovery? There was no direct benefits for her. I think in theory it was a great idea but I dont think at the time we could really support casinos, at least that many. I know people still waiting on or fighting with their insurance co, fema and road home.

I see 65% voted no, but this sounds good to me. When we first proposed casinos, I felt it would be best to have them all on one strip with water parks, etc. That would force people to spend at other businesses downtown. My other proposed site was along the lake.

NO has too many sights and cultural offerings going for her to be so raggy. Orlando and Vegas aren't like this. We should squeeze every nickle from hapless tourists, but send them off giddy and wanting to retrn. NO is at a crossroads.

The strip probably wouldn't even be completed yet, if approved back then. But we can still do it, since creating more good paying jobs would help lessen the blow of Katrina. Relatively low skill jobs but decent pay would keep young people out of trouble, and out of the heat. Many youngsters don't want to work in construction or offshore in that sun all day. I've done it, and it's no joke.

I'm going to look into how Vegas diversified, etc. We already have many family oriented sights to visit. Let's get back to basics. Sin. Any auto or steel plants we happen to bag would be great, but I'm not holding my breath. I see Dominion Oil this week joined the long list of HQs moving out of town.

A rising tide...
 

That's what I'm talking about. NO needs more casinos. First, the tax revenue from them is ridiculous. Second, they bring in tourists by the thousands. Third, they create tons of well-paying jobs which means people are moving back to NO and making and spending more which means more tax revenues which means more money for schools, roads, sewers, housing and...wait for it....big fancy new stadiums. Oh, and then there are more big businesses that have the $$$ to buy the luxury boxes in the aforementioned big fancy new stadium.

You just can't tell me that the people of LA have some moral objections to more casinos in New Orleans. Seriously, if they were built, why would anyone living east of the MS ever go to Vegas again? Harrahs must be bank-rolling gov't officials to keep any competition out of NO.

On a side note: As a South MS native who now lives in Ala., I have to say that compared to Bob Rielly and Haley Barbour, Blanco didn't do jack*&^% in the wake of the storm. NO and LA are luck she's not running for re-election.

Yep. We had the chance to be the home of Disneyland, but we now know our niche and limitations. This can be done. Even residents settled elsewhere come back to vsit their people. Jack them up,too. They come with money. Progress will attract new residents, and bring most back. NO has something for everyone. We just need focus.

Well, whatever they do they need to do it fast. The boat is still sinking. More and more businesses are leaving. I work for an employment agency and so many people have called me wanting come back but cant afford it and then some want to leave but cant sell their house or afford insurance. (thank you allstate!) They have to do something to get the ecomony booming and fast!

I understand. I'm trying to sell my home and a rental. I'd like to be able to return in a decade to a better enviornment. I'll visit twice a year, though. I'd adding crime to your list of why others like me are fleeing, but perhaps that should've gone without saying?

First of all, what the commentators were saying was pretty cut and dry, there's no mistaken anything, you said yourself that San Antonians didn't have money to waste on a Championship game that they knew the Spurs were going to win. Name any other city or Sporting event that the fans have that type of mentality, like I said before, San Antonio would not support the New Orleans Saints period, if they were so ready for an NFL franchise they would have one. The Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee not San Antonio, don't you think if San Antonio was ready for an NFL franchise they would have gladly put the Oilers in another part of Texas, I think so. The Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore, not even a hint about San Antonio, TX., why do you think that is? Because they not ready. The NFL introduced two expansion teams into the league, Jacksonville and Carolina, again none in San Antonio, you said it would work because of all the people who are Cowboys fans who can't travel to the games and the 100,000 fans that watched the Cardinals and 49ers game in Mexico. If that were the case don't you think San Antonio would've landed an NFL franchise by now with all the movement that went on in the last 10 years or so. The NFL don't trust cities like San Antonio, if they can get bored with a Championship basketball team, what in God's green earth makes you think the Owners would vote on putting a franchise there. Like I said it's nothing personnal against San Antonio, but IMHO, the Saints just wouldn't survive in San Antonio, TX.

Stick with the Dome. Why? LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!!! Easy access from hotels.

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/2...layoffsnr8.png
Shot at 2007-06-30

Wow, a lot more conjecture. Expected. You know why San Antonio was passed over previously? Cause it was nowhere near as big as it is now. Neither was Austin. Both have grown tremendously over the last decade. So I guess that answers why they didn't expand there. Also, the Spurs were 9th in the league in attendance in the regular season. Out of 30 teams. Does that sound like a fan base not supporting it's team? Everything you are saying is groundless, and I pray that people in the state of Louisiana who actually have the ability to do something about the Saints leaving are not thinking the same thing. It was the same thing with Oklahoma City. They weren't even on the NBA's map until they showed out in droves for the Hornets, just like when the Saints played in San Antonio. It took a tragic event to put the cities in their respective league's eyes, but they are there. Like I said, I have facts. You have conjecture based on overblowing some interviews you saw during the Finals. I wonder which is more relevant?

:handguns: rebutt away :lightsabre:

Nice to see ya again whodi.

*sigh* Who is "us Saints fans?" I'm a Saints fan. Born and raised in New Orleans. I left when I was 23 to join the army. You're no more a Saints fan than me. But I will combat unfounded bias and blatant mischaracterization. You know why the Spurs were 9th in attendance? Seating. Other arenas just hold more seats than the AT&T Center. There's a fact you ignored. Also, the Mayor of a city doesn't reflect all of it's people, unless you reflect Nagin. Benson tried to move our team "like a thief in the night" and he went to the mayors of San An, Austin, and Laredo to do so. Maybe you should point the finger where it belongs. Benson ONLY went back to New Orleans cause he was forced to. Hardburglar was like a salivating opportunist once BENSON voiced his want to move, but the people of San Antonio did not feel that way. At least the ones I deal with. No one wanted a team that way, so your saying "San Antonio" tried to steal the Saints is incorrect. A crooked owner and hard up mayor tried, and failed.

Second, what does it matter what gear was being worn in the stands? The Saints aren't from San Antonio. I was in the stands with OTHER SAINTS FANS in MY Saints gear, but how many Saints fans you think live in San Antonio? Oh, not many. That point doesn't even make sense. You wanted people to run out and buy jerseys for a team they would see 3 games, and give up teams they have probably had for life? Really? Come on now. The difference would be if they actually were the San Antonio Saints, which Thank God they aren't.

Third, San Antonio differs from L.A. in that L.A. has tried and failed, and there are NUMEROUS other interests in L.A. outside of football, not the least of which is USC. A football team would instantly be the biggest thing in this whole area, bigger than the Spurs even, cause the NFL AS A LEAGUE is head and shoulders above the NBA and any other sports league. That's another fact.

Here's another fact for you: Guess what the Patriots attendance was last year. 16th in the league. The Colts were dead last, the superbowl winner. See for yourself:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/attendance

Even in superbowl years, the Pats never cracked the top 10 in attendance. Seems you are overrating that very insignificant fact, which is necessary I understand to push your point.

So please, check your "facts" and come again. Or don't. But at least try to be on the right track.

I tried to understand some of this, but it got difficult. I'll piece together what I can:

Where did I say anything good about Hardburglar? Seems kinda redundant to tell me he is no better than Benson. He associated with scum and thus is scum. I never disagreed.

Second, where did I say San An was gonna build a brand new stadium for a football team? The talk was of San An, Austin, and Laredo combining on a venture, and the Lt. Gov of the state even mentioned allocating some funds to assist. Benson had gotten pretty deep on planning. Also, you may wanna update your knowledge on the stadium in San Antonio. The Spurs have played in 3 venues in the last 20 years or so. First the Hemisfair, then they moved to the Alamodome when it was built, and they got the AT&T Center just 5 years ago. Probably not smart to build a new basketball arena just 5 years after building one huh? So, what does that say about the city to you now?

And why would me living in San An cause me to "forget my heritage?" That's utterly ridiculous. Most all of my family lived in New Orleans up until Katrina, and most of them still do. How could I ever possibly "forget my heritage?" There is no where else I would claim as home other than New Orleans, but I have come to and do love San Antonio. It helped I had been a Spurs fan since they drafted David Robinson on my birthday 20 years ago though, and that my uncle was stationed here when he was in the Air Force, as well as my sister when she was in the Army.

The last point about the attendance must have been above my level. I wasn't able to put together anything to argue out of that, so i'll let it stand as is. I think my point about attendance levels for "championship teams" stands well enough on it's own, and has no bearing on supposed loyalty. It's something that's being made up now to push a point that has already been washed away. I'd really think about moving on from there, if there is anything else you want to add.

Last year I went to Reliant to see the Texans twice. Where ever a new dome is built, it needs to be like Reliant. That place is simply gorgeous. And someone better get busy with the building because the NFL is liable to push the Saints to LA, which would be unimaginable. I hate California.

I'll be going to Reliant this year for the first time for Saints/Texans. I have seen it numerous times since my sister lived in Houston about a mile or so from it, but have never attended a game there. I am looking forward to it.

The facts you have are a little more bias than you want to admit. The fact that you proved my point a few posts ago when you said that San Antonians didn't have money to waste on a Championship finals that they knew the Spurs were going to win. During the finals that was all they talked about, the lack of excitement and interest the fans had in their home town team. Fact, there's always been Saints fans in Dallas, a hell of a lot more than in San Antonio. Fact, I knew at some point in this conversation you were going to bring up the Saints games in San Antonio, what you fail to mention was a lot of those fans that were in attendence were dislocated New Orleanians. Majority of those fans were true Saints fans from New Orleans, and that my friend is a FACT. I told you before, San Antonio is nothing more than leverage in contract talks for Mr. Benson and the State of Louisiana, as well as L.A. You honestly think Benson would pick San Antonio over Los Angeles when Texas have two franchises there already and L.A. have none, let's be real about this, it'll never happen. Look Whodi, I not disrespecting San Antonio in any way but the true facts remain, San Antonio will never, ever, have a NFL franchise located there, if it were possible it would have happen. And as far as Oklahoma City goes, what else is there? Nothing, no competition, the only thing in the State of Oklahoma are the Sooners and the Cowboys.

You'll love it and I will be there as well! It's 2 1/2 hours away from me, but with my job, Houston is as good as I can get when it comes to pros in person.

I have to be trithful and admit I live in San Antonio. I don't want to argue about the Saints coming here at all, but I can say this city is much bigger now than it was when Benson bought the team. He's said it many times...SA over L.A. We could and would love to have them here. Jones is the biggest opponent to the Saints coming here. He wants SA to stay Cowboy land. It's slipping from him, though. The Texans are getting more popular and the Saints...well, SA loved them and they are becoming more and more popular here.

I think you are confusing your facts with conjecture, and what you heard reported. NO ONE reported a lack of interest in the Spurs, they reported a lack of interest in the Spurs OPPONENT. The fact you keep trying to raise that as some kind of point is troubling, cause it's flat untrue. The Spurs sold out every playoff game until they got to Utah(no shot) and Cleveland(no shot), and as a matter of fact, this was the first time in their 4 years in AT&T Center history they didn't sell out. And it was by like 500 tickets. Ooh. That's a reflection of who they were playing, and that is what was reported, not a lack of interest in the team. If anything, if you were in San Antonio you would be sick with all the Spurs support there is. Also, as I pointed out with missile, do you think New England and Indianapolis fans are disinterested in their championship teams? I don't. Yet attendance numbers for Indy was dead last last year, and the Pats were never higher than 14th even in their dynasty run. That point still hold sno weight, but you are still trying to twist what was reported to make it so. If I didn't live here, I might ave fallen for it.

What does the number of Saints fans in Dallas have to do with the price of tea in china, and why would that need to be stated sa "fact?"

Also, I went to all 3 games in San An. A lot of the fans were dislocated New Orleanians, more were San Antonians and people from the surrounding area. It didn't help though the team was mired in one of it's worst season ever. Check out attendance for the Hornets when they moved to New Orleans if you wanna know what a slumping franchise does to a new fan base.

And um yeah, Benson would pick San An over Los Angeles cause of the business ties he has to San An. Hell, no one wants to move to Los Angeles cause Los Angeles has proven it's indifference to football. Also, Benson would not be able to Lord his team over Los Angeles and gain concessions like he would in San An, and like he does in New Orleans. He may be greedy, but he's not stupid. Even when Minnesota was owned by Red McCombs and he talked about moving them, it was to San An, and not Los Angeles.

So, you can believe San An will prob never have a team, hell they may not. The league is perfect at 32 teams, and most cities seem to find a way to work out issues that cause owners to want to move. But if you don't realize San An is a viable option, you're probably misinformed.

It would take someone who lives here to know that. Thanks for speaking up.

Until Dallas opens that new stadium in Arlington. I can't wait for the Saints to play them again, so I can go check out that monster.

No problem. I'm pretty frank on message boards. Expect me to be quite involved here.

SA was very proud to host the Saints. We took very good care of a team and organization in utter chaos. That schedule for 13 road games really did a number on them. 8-8 in 04 to 3-13 in 05. It was heartbreaking, but I was there for the 3 we had, spent a ton of bucks on shirts and stuff, taught people how to tailgate, took people who had never been to a pro game, not even Dallas, turned them away from being Dallas fans, and actually made friends with a couple who I met out and about in the city. I recall a Spurs game that Aaron Brooks attended with his family. The camera guys found him and blasted him up on the jumbotron. The At&T Center exploded in applause for him. He looked so shocked. See, most people in SA knew nothing of booing the Saints or wearing paper bags. We hardly got any coverage of the Saints here, so people just didn't know them.

Now they do and the Cowboys lost themselves a bunch of followers. You can buy more Saints stuff in SA than you can Texans. If you want Texans stuff, you need to order it online. It's scarse. I go with a group of friends on certain game days to a sports bar that has 4 big screens. They reserve one for the Saints. Always. They never get a smaller TV. And you should see all they people in Saints gear watching them....not the Cowboys.

I can't wait to be in Houston on Nov 18th. I got my seats from a friend who is now a Texan cheerleader and she already knows that I'll wear my fleur de lis that day.

I'll go to Dallas when the new place opens and the Saints play them. I want to see that monster, too.

FYI..if you can get the Holiday Inn Reliant, ask for a room with the view. It's all lit up at night and just gorgeous. And, you walk out the back door into the parking lot. Head to the left of Reliant to the Orange and Blue lots and just start talking to people. They'll feed you, offer beer. They really know how to throw it down. They are also very classy and won't hassle you for being a Saint.:mrgreen:

p.s. What ever you do, DON'T wear your Reggie jersey. They are still pretty upset over that draft. They wanted VY, but would have taken Reggie over Williams.

When I go, i'll prob just stay with my sis, who is gonna go too. She lives a mile or so from reliant, in the medical center area. But we'll be early enough to tailgate for sure. Glad to have you aboard here!

Extremely glad to be here. Finally! Like I said, SR just got absurd and after the Black & Gold Nation, the official site, went down, I was just lost. I was on the B&G from 01-04, when they closed down. Being from Texas, SR got very ugly to anyone from here. I haven't had a Saints board for 2 years, so all I can do is say THANK YOU! for being around. Have to thank Google, too. That's how I found you.:cool:

I'll be at Reliant at 6am. I have a group of friends in Orange Lot that I start with, move down a ways to another group for mid-morning food, into Blue for drinks with some former commercial divers, into Platinum. Then it's gametime. After the game, it's across Kirby to Yellow lot then back to Orange. We wind things up around 6pm. I tell you what. The Houston crowd is a good substitute for the Saints Family. They took me right in. Real good people. (Except about the draft thing....LOL)

*sigh* At this point, I really wish you had let this go instead of making me sift through more nonsense. Not once, not ever, not even close did I say the Hornets benefitted from a new fan base. Not once. I used them as an example of what a crappy team in a new city has to deal with when trying to make new fans cause, you know, their attendance was one of the worst in the league in New Orleans. Also taking a shot at the practice facilities is lame. Why would a city with NO PRO FOOTBALL TEAM, and that has never had a PRO FOOTBALL TEAM have state of the art practice facilities for a pro football team? Oh, they wouldn't. Unless they planned Katrina 10 years in advance and built them with the foreknowledge New Orleans would be under water and they would need state of the art facilities to lure the Saints. You beleive that's what happened right? :rolleyes:

Just saying that though, I am gonna let this go. You haven't yet made a valid counterpoint, while also trying to totally misrepresent what I say, completely fabricate other points, and in general, just throwing stuff out to see what sticks to the wall. I see you totally ignored the your faux pas in trying to diss Spurs fans saying we didn't care about the team cause we didn't build a new arena for them, when they got a new arena just 5 years ago. Whatever your bias, it isn't helping your argument. I hope we can agree to disagree cause this is going nowhere.

*sigh* The people in the city wouldn't approve public funds for a new stadium for the SAINTS cause the people in the city didn't want to get THE SAINTS this way. You are criticizing an entire city for the actions of one. Again, you must be fully on board with Nagin's Chocolate City comments and other ignorant remarks, I mean, since one person can rep an entire city. That's silly. Also, as I explained before, and sadly have to explain again, the Spurs were 9th in attendance out of 30 teams just on arena size They got beat out in average attendance and total attendance because other arenas are larger. That's it. Not cause of indifference. Seriously, why are you bothering? But we get to why later. I'll save it for last.

The Saints were never San Antonio's team, were losing, and for the fifth time, the PEOPLE of San Antonio DID NOT WANT the Saints to come in this manner. Seems simple.

Well, to let you know as someone else said, there's no other game in town in OK City. And they put themselves on the map with their support. When the Hornets went to New Orleans, "a new fan base," their attendance sucked. Also, the games in San Antonio sold out, but there were "empty seats" cause people chose not to go see the 2-12 Saints vs the 2-12 Lions on Christmas Eve. Way to mislead. I do have to correct my previous statement on this though caus I did use OK City as an example of a new fan base turning out and I used new Orleans as an example of a crappy team in the Hornets not getting support with a new fan base. Two separate examples.

This is really what it comes down to. I said in the last post you had a bias, and here it is. Sadly, you can't separate the actionsof one from the wants of many. SAN ANTONIO didn't try to steal the Saints, Benson tried to run with them and had Hardburglar as an accomplice. The PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO did not want a team this way. Your hatred for the people in San Antonio is misguided and should be directed at the people most involved with the attempt to take the team, and mainly Tom Benson. He WENT TO the mayors of San An and surrounding cities and whored the team. But you'd rather blame people who had nothing to do with it. That's ignorant. Wait, i'll apply the same logic. You live in New Orleans right? Then I blame you for all of Nagin's stupid comments, and for the fact the city is still in shambles 2 years after Katrina. I don't care if you do not share his feelings on "chocolate city" and I don't care if you WANT things to get back to normal. Yoru mayor did and said some stupid things, so I blame it all on you, no matter that federal and state aid didn't help either when it's come down to time to heal. Doesn't matter one bit. It's your fault and I hate you for New Orleans not being back to normal by now. Fair right? :rolleyes:

This was my most recent point on the Hornets and "a new fan base." The OK city comments were used to show how a city without a team can put themself on the map, like OK City did with the NBA, and like San An did with the NFL. Even Tags before he went out said San An proved itself as an option the should look at. But let's agree to disagree and move on.

Was there a point in all of that? Any? I said OK city put themselves on the map when they hosted the Hornets when making a point about San An putting themselves on the map, but I also said a slumping Hornets team suffered atrocious attendance in New Orleans, when making a point about the "empty seats" in San Antonio. See the difference? Probably not.

At any rate, it's funny you get to distance yourself from Nagin, yet you hold the people of San Antonio responsible for Hardburglar. Double standard much?

Also, who would know better how the people of San An felt about the Saints being here under those circumstances, someone who lives in San An, or someone who lives 600 miles away and hates the city cause of the actions of one?

So in the midst of all this, your best bet was questioning my loyalty? I didn;t become a Spurs fan when I moved to San An, I have been a Spurs fan for 20 years, even when I lived in New Orleans. As a matter of fact, I still have a Spurs starters jacket I got in HIGH SCHOOL at Kennedy with the old spurs colors before they went to straight silver and black. But what the blue hell does that have to do with you not being a Suns fan when you lived in Phoenix? What does being a Spurs fan have to do with being a Saints fan? Are you kidding here? In case you may be unaware, New Orleans did not have a basketball team, and I was too young to know about the Jazz. I don't even remember when they left. But I actually saw David Robinson play in a game in the Lakefront Arena when I was a kid, becase a fan of his, and when he was drafted by the Spurs, I became a Spurs fan. That was 1987. That has no bearing on my loyalty to New Orleans, and it's sad your lack of relevant points had to lead you down that path. You're making this seem as if I want the Saints to leave New Orleans, which I have made extremely clear is not wha I want. Hell, I am the one pushing for them to get a new stadium so there is no doubt. But it's really unfortunate people are putting out mistruths about San An not being a viable market for a team, and my main goal is to dispel that non-truth in the hopes others don't feel the same way, and disregard the threat, shoot down a new stadium, and have the team leave.

Lastly, while we are talking about media markets, New Orleans is ranked LOWER than San An, yet they support the Saints, and have for years, ya know how? Cause, well, let's see, there are more Saints fans than in just NEW ORLEANS in the area, just like there are more football fans then in just San Antonio. Take Austin for instance, about the same distance from NO that Baton Rouge is. And since the discussions about the team were between the mayors of Austin, San An, and Laredo, I guess you can count their markets together, just like you can count markets all along the gulf coast for the Saints. It's not a simple matter of "this city ranks..." cause that doesn't tell the whole story. Unless you want to leave it as San Antonio ranking much higer than New Orleans, even before Katrina, thus showing if New Orleans can do it, San An could do it right? Simply going by a ranking that is. Just move on.

Ok guys,this is getting far to political. Do we need to move it?

Just for the record, I was at all 3 Saints games and there were NOT plenty of seats open. If you want to talk about open seats in 05, take a good look at footage from Tiger Stadium. Sold out the first game. After that, it was a ghost town, especially the last game there. 2 of my best friends were there and called me from the game. It was really sad.

No one knew what would happen in New Orleans, if the team could go back. Did people want them here...yes. But, trust me, Benson wasn't mobbed by citizens and forced to think about a relocation. Most of the talk was very early on when no one knew IF New Orleans could be saved. We didn't take advantage of a natural disaster and try to steal the team. We offered them a home if theirs wasn't able to be fixed.

Well said.

Thank you.

I missed your responses. Thanks for your input in this thread. My sis works for ABC News in Houston. I may wander down for the game. She offered me SB tickets one year, but I would've had to miss a 3 week gig offshore. SBs are nice, but money is better. heh.

I wouldn't advise any La plates in TX these days. We aren't welcome. My sis suggested that I spread some mud on my plate, and damned if I wasn't pulled over for no reason during the wee hours. At least the trooper was polite, and sent us on our way. My sis lives in Sugarland, so I'm versed on the route to Reliant from there.

1) A lot of the fans couldn't even make the games in Baton Rouge due to the hurricanes.

2) The city of Baton Rouge treated the NFL and the Saints like the games were amateur ping pong matches. They refused to use the typical plans that they practice for College Football games. I didn't even want to attend the other games at Tiger Stadium after the way we were treated during the first game.

Not to mention the arrogant-ass Tiger fans that bought tickets to mock the Saints the entire time.


That city left a bad taste in my mouth. It's pathetic, but true. The State Capital of Louisiana isn't a Saints fan.

That's why they're the New Orleans Saints, guys. It's the only city that can truely love this team.