The New Orleans Saints have a strong fan base and a plan for the future. AP Photo/Bill Haber
The New Orleans Saints have sold out their 70,000 season ticket packages for the fourth consecutive year. This is an incredible number since we are talking about a city and a state that was ravaged by a hurricane four years ago. It seems that the Saints have a strong fan base in Louisiana and the NFL and local leaders should do whatever they can to keep the team where it is.
It is a really simple decision because the waiting list for New Orleans Saints season tickets has grown to more than 50,000 fans. While that is an incredible number and a strong indication that the people of Louisiana love their Saints, it proves the Saints belong right where they are.
While Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal may be a strong contender for the White House in 2012 he is not wasting any time to insure that his home state keeps their NFL team.
Jindal recently sponsored a bill that would allow Saints owner Tom Benson to effectively become the state’s landlord. The state plans to lease some space in an office building near the New Orleans Super Dome that is part of Benson’s plan to redevelop that area to make it a destination spot for sports fans, business people, and tourists alike.
Benson plans to redevelop a vacant office building and mall that are next to his team’s home stadium. He hopes to do this to attract large crowds of people not only on game days but every day of the week, making the area around the Super Dome more sustainable for his team.
With the state signing on already this moves Benson’s project forward and could lead to substantial other developments in this downtown section of New Orleans ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.
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