Saints tells fans to “know before you go;” what Superdome upgrades will mean for them

“We’re asking our fans to have some patience,” Lauscha said. “We’re not done yet.”

Saints fans should already have been receiving messages about what to expect when they arrive at the Superdome, including detailed maps instructing them the best way to navigate their way to their seats, he said.

“We’re putting that out to fans now and telling them, ‘Know before you go,'” said Lauscha.

The most visible changes fans will notice this season is the completion of two of three planned open air atriums in the stadium’s northeast and northwest quads. The third atrium in the southwest corner will be part of the final phase to be completed by August 2024.

The atriums create big open air spaces and fans will find fast escalators there. Those features are designed to deliver them to the upper decks much more quickly, and pleasantly, than the old 80,000 square-foot ramp system ever did.

Doug Thornton, executive vice president of ASM Global, which operates the Caesars Superdome, said he estimates it will now take 65 seconds to go from the concourse to the 600 level, a journey that used to take a full five minutes.

“That is what we’re talking about when we say this will improve the fan experience,” Thornton said.

The caveat is that the upgrades affecting the west side of the stadium won’t be completed until next year, so fans can expect a sharp contrast between the renovated parts and the older parts of the building.

“You will notice a stark difference between old and new,” Thornton said. “Next year it will all be new.”

On the renovated side of the building, which includes the Gate C entrance backing onto Champions Square, there are brand new concession areas that will offer fans Grab’n’Go supermarket-style options, with a much wider choice and much reduced wait times.

There is also a new 80-foot bar available to all patrons on the 100 level concourse.

“Transaction times will be cut from literally two minutes down to seven seconds,” on average, Thornton said, with the new concessions configured so that there is now one point-of-sale spot for every 90 patrons compared to one per 150 previously.

A key change is that the Gate C entrance — where many fans had traditionally entered after Champions Square entertainment ceased prior to kickoff — is now restricted.

“Gate C has been re-programmed as a premium entrance,” Evan Holmes, ASM’s general manager, advises. That means fans who do not have tickets giving access to suites should go to the appropriate gate on the outside of the stadium now.

“In the past, if you would go in Gate C and circumnavigate to your seat, the place to do that now is the plaza exterior,” he said. “Everyone should get a personal game plan on their electronic ticket. Everything you need to know is on your phone.”

Like new

The renovation project, which was approved by the state four years ago, allows the Superdome to be recognized by the NFL as effectively on par with a new stadium. It is expected to be fully completed well ahead of Super Bowl LIX in February 2025, when the Superdome will host the event for the eighth time.

Though the cost of the project, which originally was estimated at $450 million, has now risen above $500 million, it is still seen as a better and much cheaper alternative to building an entirely new arena.

The first phase of the project, which cost $100 million, began in early 2020 before the pandemic and was described as “the enabling phase.” It consisted of back-of-house work, including the creation of new exits and a large kitchen and food-service area in space formerly used for parking.

The second, $60 million phase created the co-called Super Vomitory, or “SuperVom,” spaces on the 200 and 500 levels, allowing unobstructed views of the scoreboard and field, a feature that’s present at other top-level arenas.

Burn rate

The latest phase, which began in early January after the Saints season ended, was by far the most cumbersome and costly. Thornton said that at its peak, the project had more than 1,000 workers operating at the stadium and it was costing $15 million a month.

“It was a massive project and we had to work around tent pole summer events, like Essence Fest and the Monster Truck rally,” he said.

The Saints and ASM executives said they have also asked for improved security after the surge in robberies earlier this year and break-ins at parking areas outside of their control.

Thornton said that ASM and its contractors have about 3,000 staff working inside the arena’s areas on game day, including about 180 security personnel.

“We had no issues with what we control inside our perimeter last year,” he said. “Everything outside our perimeters is responsibility of the NOPD.”

Lauscha said: “We’ve talked to the mayor and her people, the police chief and they have all assured us that they will give their best effort to make sure our fans are safe.”