JOESAM2002

Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Saints are working on a new proposal to present to the governor, one that may back off demands for a new stadium in favor of revamping the Superdome.


The Saints have been working on the proposal for some time, vice president of administration Arnold Fielkow said. Asked if the Saints were as adamant as ever about the need for a new stadium, Fielkow refused to answer directly.


"I think it's important to let the presentation be made," Fielkow said Wednesday. "Because I think you have to give some background to it."


The Legislature approved $187 million in concessions and payments to the Saints in 2001 to keep them in the Superdome through 2010. The deal was hammered out after team officials and owner Tom Benson complained that the building was outdated and kept them from being economically competitive.


The issue was reopened when the state was unable to make the first payment to the Saints this summer and had to scramble to raise about half of the $15 million due.


"It's not in the best interest of any of the parties from the Saints' organization or the governor's office to annually have to go through a process of whether an agreement will be honored," Fielkow said.


The new Saints proposal will lay out various options that he hopes will lead to a long-term solution to the financial problems and will ensure the team remains in New Orleans, Fielkow said.


"We want to ensure that the entire Saints community sees how committed that we are to this state and how much we want to find a long-term resolution to a very difficult and complex matter," Fielkow said.


As part of the preparation, the Saints asked a number of people to make what Fielkow described as "short testimonials as to the importance of the Saints in this community." Among those videotaped was Dave Dixon, the leading force behind building the Superdome.


Dixon has long been a proponent of renovating the Superdome.


"When we were designing, we did so with that in mind," Dixon said. "I think the building could be updated and would still be one of the finest stadiums in the world."


Gov. Kathleen Blanco visited New Orleans earlier in the month and talked to city and tourism officials who said they did not want a new stadium linked to a proposed expansion of the convention center. Those same officials and lawmakers unanimously backed renovating the Superdome.


The governor said she had not heard from the Saints, but said New Orleans area legislators told her that the Saints are "developing a proposal for consideration and they would like an open-minded Legislature."


"If we redo the Dome, which I think is everyone's favorite idea, we still need a source of revenue to come from that particular region," Blanco said Wednesday. "And of course, a new stadium would need additional revenue."

WhoDat

Great to hear. I love the Dome, I hope they redo it and stay there forever. Slap a retractable roof on that puppy! Hang boxes from the rafters! I don\'t care, just make it work!