NEW ORLEANS -- The state is more than $10 million short of $15 million due to the New Orleans Saints on July 1, because of the crash in tourism after the Sept. 11 attacks.

The payment is part of a $186 million deal worked out in 2001 to keep the team in Louisiana.

It was not clear what will happen if the state cannot meet its side of the agreement.

DocNiner52:
Not bustin' on New Orleans but the Jazz did leave town some time ago. Just wouldn't be the same old Saints if they went somewhere else like Albuquerque    

The Saints today will launch a campaign for a new long-term agreement with the state that focuses on a Superdome renovation instead of a new stadium, but also continues annual cash inducements for the team in exchange for a commitment to remain in Louisiana through 2020, two sources said.

Under the proposed agreement, sources said the Saints are willing to eliminate all the so-called "out clauses" in the current deal, which allow either side to terminate the agreement before it is completed, if a new deal can be struck.

The plan proposes an economic development package comprising both public and private projects. Among them:

-- A 25-acre tailgate park, stretching along Poydras Street from the Superdome to Broad Street. Cost estimates for the park range from $5 million to $10 million.

-- A state-operated high school football and soccer facility to be built on Six Flags New Orleans property in eastern New Orleans.

-- Development of 8 acres of Jefferson Parish land between the Saints training facility and Zephyr Field on Airline Drive. Benson wants to build a hotel and move the Saints Hall of Fame to the property, which is owned by Jefferson Parish and leased to the state through the Superdome Commission.

-- A sports-themed redevelopment of the New Orleans Shopping Centre mall connected to the Superdome. The project would include an NFL-theme restaurant and team gift shop. A team source said the idea already has been received favorably by Hertz Investment Group of Los Angeles, which bought the property last year.

Super Bowl decision

The Saints plan to propose a Feb. 1 deadline to reach an agreement. That would give the team time to lobby state officials before the legislative session in April and finalize a presentation to bring a future Super Bowl to New Orleans.

New Orleans is expected to compete with Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, D.C., for either the 2009 or 2010 Super Bowl. The league plans to award those games at its spring meeting May 23-26.

The NFL will not award a Super Bowl to New Orleans without a signed long-term agreement, sources said.

The Saints proposal comes as the NFL is studying ways to place a team in Los Angeles. The Saints, Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings are the franchises most eligible to move because of their current lease arrangements. The 32-team league has no plans to add an expansion franchise.

NFL officials have expressed a desire to have a team in Los Angeles by 2008, meaning a new long-term agreement between the Saints and the state would effectively end the club's potential to relocate to California.

http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index.ssf?/...78624258780.xml

Saints want Dome renovation deal
Team would get cash and remain to 2020
[right][snapback]561143[/snapback][/right]

http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index.ssf?/...78624258780.xml

Saints want Dome renovation deal
Team would get cash and remain to 2020
[right][snapback]561143[/snapback][/right]

Los Angeles Saints.. just doesn't sound right.
[right][snapback]471967[/snapback][/right]

Also add the fact that the saints upper management is a bit behind the times (their big economic pitch to save the franchise was a powerpoint slide show yesterday!) and its a big mess.
[right][snapback]562447[/snapback][/right]

Perhaps I'm missing something obvious, but what's wrong with a PowerPoint presentation?  How else are they supposed to present an argument?  Transparencies?  A chalkboard?
[right][snapback]562536[/snapback][/right]

Saints situation is very bizarre but basically it comes down to this:

The Saints know no politico (ie the governor) can let them go and get re-elected. Therefore they are basically extorting the state for a new stadium, cash, hotels, etc. This causes big problems for the state because the state is broke and has only been bailed out fiscally by two consecutive economic miracles... the tobacco settlement and a medicare ruling that freed up 180 million in non dedicated funds last year. Throw in the fact that rural legislators hate the Saints. Also add the fact that the saints upper management is a bit behind the times (their big economic pitch to save the franchise was a powerpoint slide show yesterday!) and its a big mess.

What will happen is that the state will prob pay for 80% of a renovated dome. The saints will prob reduce their demand for a annul cash payment from the state to keep them here. (The saints are owed between 10 and 23.5 million annually by the state under a deal struck by the last gov, Mike Foster (crazy)).

If nothing is worked out, I believe Benson will sell 49% of the team to a local group and keep 51% for his granddaughter but that's just my opinion. I personally don't think benson would sell to a out of town group unless the governor intentailly pisses him off and makes him look like the bad guy.

The whole thing is nuts esp when you look at the fact that the Redskins, Rams, Jags, Cowboys, Bears etc. all thrive and make money (big and small market) as a pure business venture yet the saints have to go through self created hoops.
[right][snapback]562447[/snapback][/right]

Just curious, and I mean absolutely no disrespect to Saint's fans:

How much does the team bring in the way of excitement/game day atmosphere to New Orleans?

Does the city's fan base support this team, or is it a case of team ownership overstating their importance to the city in order to get money from the government. Something about this really sits weird in my mind, so I was just wondering what the fans really think about this.
[right][snapback]562107[/snapback][/right]

You've pretty much nailed it, though I disagree that these are "self created hoops" that they are jumping through.  I think it's more due to the atmosphere created by the current business climate and long-standing political machine of southeast Louisiana.  And unfortunately, some of the politicians are (wrongly IMO) using the team's poor performance the past few years to stir sentiment that we really don't need an NFL team here.  The thing that disappointed me most about yesterday's presentation was that I didn't think the franchise did a good enough job of selling the economic impact the team provides to the city and the state.
[right][snapback]562701[/snapback][/right]

I just have never heard  of a private team getting money from the state simply to stay here so just getting mixed up in that is crazy in my mind. I have heard of the state either paying for the stadium or buying the road/infrastructure.
[right][snapback]562774[/snapback][/right]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1801182

  I really don't like the sound of all this.  If the state doesn't pay up soon I'm worried the team could start making demands/threats and the possibility of the team moving to LA could become a grim reality.
[right][snapback]34640[/snapback][/right]

Better the L.A. Saints than the L.A. Vikings!   
[right][snapback]562885[/snapback][/right]

For an extremely small market by NFL standards, yes, the team is supported pretty well (35 straight sellouts, which isn't too bad for a team that has not lived up to expectations for 3 seasons now).  They do have to work hard at it, and it's now more of a regional team rather than supported strictly by the city of New Orleans.  Alot of season ticket holders are from Lafayette LA, Jackson MS, Mobile AL, and the FL panhandle (all several hours or more driving distance away).

I'm sure I'll get alot of disagreement on this, but I would put forth that the Saints are MORE important to the city of New Orleans than most larger market teams.  And it goes way beyond just the "game day atmosphere".  When this team is winning, there is an excitement and electricity in the air that is really hard to describe. 

But back to your premise -- no, I absolutely disagree that the ownership is overstating the team's importance to the city.  I believe that they truly want the team here, but are not going to do so at a competitive disadvantage.
[right][snapback]562721[/snapback][/right]

Better the L.A. Saints than the L.A. Vikings!   
[right][snapback]562885[/snapback][/right]