Louisiana Governor Blanco Responds To NFL New Orleans Saints Benson
State Business
Author: Steve Sabludowsky | 4/27/2005 Home : Politics








Governor Kathleen Blanco has issued the following statement after an open letter from New Orleans Saints owner, Tom Benson.

"I am disappointed that the Saints have rejected my offer of a better long-term deal for the Saints and the citizens of Louisiana. I presented Mr. Benson with a generous proposal, one which would have enabled the Saints to stay in Louisiana and remain profitable for the next twenty years. I have worked hard to find a way to improve the Superdome so that the Saints could earn more of their revenue rather than depend on taxpayer money. The Saints´ repeated claims that they cannot be profitable without a large subsidy from the state has never been substantiated by the team in the way of disclosure of their financial records. Therefore, I could not in good conscience agree to a deal that might - at the taxpayers´ expense -- only add to the wealth of a very profitable team.

"I believe the current deal with the team provides exceedingly generous payments to the Saints. I have, however, made what I consider our very best offer. As the state´s finances continue to become more challenging and the required payments to the team continue to escalate, I will work to do whatever is necessary to honor the state´s contractual obligation to the team. I will continue pressing my case for a new contract.

"This is now the second time Mr. Benson has resisted my good-faith efforts to craft a better long-term deal for both the Saints and the State. I would like to remind him that on the several occasions when he needed help in the past, the State of Louisiana was there."