Superdome wants classic back

After Hurricane Katrina ransacked southeastern Louisiana in August and caused flooding and wind damage to the Louisiana Superdome, many people — particularly sports fans — were left wondering would become of the state’s landmark.
Not to be left out were Bayou Classic fans, who did not know if or where the 32nd nationally televised game would be held. The Superdome has hosted the Bayou Classic since 1975 — the year the facility opened — and accommodated as many as 76,000 fans. But in September, a committee announced the historic game would be moved to Houston’s Reliant Stadium; and while some fans welcomed the road trip, others such as Vanessa Harris-Adams vehemently said she would not go.
“I did want to go, but I decided that it’s just not going to be the same as being in the Superdome,” Adams said. “Having the game in the Superdome is like having Thanksgiving dinner at your family’s home.”
Adams said another reason she would not attend was because she grew accustomed to the surroundings and events that complimented the Superdome and “you just couldn’t get that in Houston.” A graduate of both universities, Adams said she always stayed in the adjoining Hyatt Regency Hotel so she could walk to other shopping and entertainment venues before and after the game.
“Besides, we just left Houston,” Adams said. “And going that distance twice isn’t the same as if you’re going to New Orleans twice to see Jackson State and then Grambling State face Southern.”
Glenn Menard, general manager of the Superdome, said SMG, the facility’s management group, is doing everything possible to make sure the Bayou Classic comes back to New Orleans as soon as possible. He said sentiments such as Adams’ are what urge a speedy, yet thorough restoration process for the Superdome.
“It was a tough call to make when we had to tell Ralph Slaughter and other coordinator that we couldn’t have the game,” Menard said.
The interruption of business at the Superdome is “really serious,” Menard said, and Bill Curl, the Superdome’s coordinator of media relations, said the damage was not as nearly bad as it could have been.
He said the most severe damage was to the roof, where holes were formed from storm damage. He said the turf, a new type called Momentum that was installed in 2004, is replaced every year, so water damage to the field was not important.
Curl did say while evacuees where staying in the Superdome, suites and other offices were vandalized. The infrastructure, however, stood up to the storm very well and components such as air conditioning and fiber optic wiring was pretty much in tact.
Southern and Grambling State were the first teams to play each other on the new turf and the two teams could be the first to return back to the Superdome for action.
SMG Regional Vice-President Doug Thornton said repairs to the Superdome could start at $125 million and could be until October 2006.
“We just hired an architect Thursday (Nov. 10),” Menard said. “We certainly want the Bayou Classic back here as soon as possible.”