Where'd the $ come from to rebuild the super dome?

[goddess40]

I'm guess we paid for it, If it's true that the gov't footed the bill it is truely disgusting that they rebuild it before putting people back in their homes.

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. You can't get people to go back to their homes

unless they have an economy to support them. The Superdome brings 1000's of people to town, employees 100's of locals and brings lots of business to the area restaurants and businesses.

This is suppose to be a bad thing? Beats blowing a billion a week in Iraq.

[NOLADEM]

2. FEMA paid for it since it was damaged during use as a federal shelter

The money spent on the dome is essential for the city. New Orleans is one of the only cities busy enough with conventions and games that the stadium turns a profit. It also fills the city with hotel guests, tourists, and shoppers.

It was essential that this reopen, just as it was critical for the Convention Center to re-open, which it has. These buildings are irreplaceable commercial venues providing 1000's with employment.

I live and work in the city, and the Quarter is booming this week due to the game.

Plus, all of these people will go home and tell their friends about what has and has not been done.

The price tag was around $140M, with about $100M of that being FEMA money for damage. The balance is being paid by a state allotment through a creative use of deferred funds and private money from the team and elsewhere, as there was a planned renovation before the storm that was put in place in addition to the damaged items.

I know it is not the most important thing to many, but to people here, the Super Dome is St. Peter's Bascilica, and seeing her dark with the roof torn off was psychologically damaging. It is God, Football, Country, Family here, for better or worse.

[BOSSHOG]

3. I find it telling

that people who don't live in or near New Orleans thinks it would be great not to have it reopened. There have been a lot of jobs being worked and alot of money being made in New Orleans because of the reopening. Nah, lets bulldoze the dome, those folks can find work elsewhere.

[slaveplanet]

5. They said yesterday

it was $180m that was spent on the renovation...which is probably way more than was damaged...for instance here are some comparisons:




Comparisons
Name Team(s) Capacity Opened Turf Cost
Alltel Stadium Jacksonville Jaguars 73,000 August 18, 1995 Grass $134 Million
Arrowhead Stadium Kansas City Chiefs 79,409 August 12, 1972 Grass $43 Million
Bank of America Stadium Carolina Panthers 73,250 September 14, 1996 Grass $248 Million
Cleveland Stadium Cleveland Browns 72,300 September 12, 1999 Grass $290 Million
Dolphins Stadium Miami Dolphins 75,000 August 16, 1987 Grass $115 Million
Edward Jones Dome St. Louis Rams 66,000 November 12, 1995 Fieldturf $281 Million
FedEx Field Washington Redskins 80,000 September 14, 1996 Grass $300 Million
Ford Field Detroit Lions 65,000 September 22, 2002 FieldTurf $430 Million
Georgia Dome Atlanta Falcons 71,149 September 6, 1992 FieldTurf $210 Million
Giants Stadium New York Giants/Jets 79,469 October 10, 1976 FieldTurf $78 Million
Gillette Stadium New England Patriots 68,000 September 9, 2002 Grass $325 Million
Heinz Field Pittsburgh Steelers 64,500 October 7, 2001 Grass $281 Million
Invesco Field Denver Broncos 76,125 September 10, 2001 Grass $362 Million
Lambeau Field Green Bay Packers 72,515 September 29, 1957 Grass $960,000
Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia Eagles 68,500 September 8, 2003 Grass $320 Million
M&T Bank Stadium Baltimore Ravens 69,084 September 6, 1998 Sportexe Momentum $220 Million
McAfee Coliseum Oakland Raiders 63,146 September 18, 1966 Grass $200 Million
Metrodome Minnesota Vikings 64,035 September 12, 1982 Fieldturf $68 Million
Monster Park San Francisco 49ers 64,450 October 10, 1971 Grass $24 Million
Paul Brown Stadium Cincinnati Bengals 65,600 September 10, 2000 Fieldturf $453 Million
Qualcomm Stadium San Diego Chargers 71,294 August 20, 1967 Grass $27 Million
Qwest Field Seattle Seahawks 68,000 September 15, 2002 FieldTurf $450 Million
Ralph Wilson Stadium Buffalo Bills 75,339 August 17, 1973 FieldTurf $22 Million
Raymond James Stadium Tampa Bay Buccaneers 65,657 September 20, 1998 Grass $168 Million
RCA Dome Indianapolis Colts 60,272 September 2, 1982 Fieldturf $82 Million
Reliant Stadium Houston Texans 69,500 September 8, 2002 Grass $325 Million
Soldier Field II Chicago Bears 63,000 September 29, 2003 Grass $365 Million
Sun Devil Stadium Arizona Cardinals 73,234 September 12, 1988 Grass $1 Million
Superdome New Orleans Saints 69,082 September 28, 1975 FieldTurf $134 Million
Texas Stadium Dallas Cowboys 65,675 October 24, 1971 FieldTurf $35 Million
The Coliseum Tennessee Titans 67,000 September 12, 1999 Grass $290 Million

[NOLADEM]

7. Yes, true total, BUT

of that total, much was private, non-hurricane related spending. The Superdome was slated for major renovations/upgrades before the storm. So, that number is a combination of hurricane related (90-110M) and the balance was in upgrades luxury boxes, bathrooms, seats, electronic boards, etc.

The roof alone was $32M plus.

[goddess40]

4. Sorry but both could have been done

I'm not saying it shouldn't have re-opened but the fact that it did and that there is still so much left to be done in the residential sections is what I'm objecting too.
With all the money that has gone to sub-contractors it is just wrong that both types of restoration have not been done.
The media is also projecting that NO is back on it's feet leaving the impression that the work is done and we can move on from Katrina.

[earth mom]

6. Given the horrors that people experienced during Katrina

in that Superdome, I find it repulsive that they fixed it up so quickly and spent so much money doing so. That there are still mounds of debris all over the city and region and that the city and government has made it near impossible for more people to return is just disgusting. Obviously football and sports are WAY more important than people! :puke:

[goddess40]

8. Well said - sports are way too important

When the nightly news is on most of the time is spent on sports, then weather, then items of interest and maybe they might touch on some news - which will be skewed to the right.

It's not that sports can't be entertaining but for too many it is everything. Too many talk about sports and ignore the important issues going on in the world. Obviously if you post here you must have it balanced out but I know people that know all kinds of sport stats but have no clue about Darfur, 9/11 truths, Katrina, the campaigns that are going on now....

[earth mom]

11. My husband is a sports nut.

He knows all the stats and then some. He should have been a sportscaster. LOL. Everyday he listens to the Dan Patrick show and apparently Keith Olbermann is on quite a bit. This is where my husband gets the majority of his news. No lie. Sure he'll read the paper or listen to the news, but whatever is said on his favorite sport show means the most to him and he'd rather hear it there, and certainly NOT from me! I've never listened to Dan Patrick, but can't help but wonder if he's having any effect swaying voters especially with having Olbermann on so much. :shrug:

[RB TexLa]

9. Are you assuming that if New Orleans has the money to get something

done it will be done? You are giving the government and political culture of New Orleans and Louisiana way too much credit.

[MrCoffee]

10. Rebuilding the Superdome was ABSOLUTELY the right thing to do

The money spent to rebuild is an investment in the biggest thing going for NO, tourism. And (most importantly, IMHO) it brings the Saints back home. I've been to about a dozen Saints' games in the Superdome, and NO needs them just as much as they need NO.

It was ABSOLUTELY the right thing to do.