Caesars Superdome facts for kids
 |
|
The Superdome on July 26, 2021, between removal of Mercedes-Benz branding and installation of Caesars branding
|
|
 Caesars Superdome
Location in East New Orleans
Caesars Superdome
Location in Louisiana
Caesars Superdome
Location in the United States
|
|
| Former names | Louisiana Superdome (1975–2011) Mercedes-Benz Superdome (2011–2021) |
|---|---|
| Address | 1500 Sugar Bowl Drive |
| Location | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Coordinates | 29°57′3″N 90°4′52″W / 29.95083°N 90.08111°W |
| Public transit |  Poydras Street  New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal |
| Owner | The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District |
| Operator | ASM Global |
| Capacity | American football: 73,208 (expandable to 76,468) Basketball: 73,432 Baseball: 56,941 |
| Record attendance | 78,133 (WrestleMania 34, April 8, 2018) |
| Surface | Monsanto "Mardi Grass" turf (1975–2003) FieldTurf (2003–2006) Sportexe Momentum Turf (2006–2009) UBU Speed Series S5 (2010–2016) Act Global UBU Speed S5-M Synthetic Turf (2017–2018) Turf Nation S5 (2019–present) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 12, 1971 |
| Opened | August 3, 1975 |
| Reopened | September 25, 2006 |
| Construction cost | US$134 million (Initial) ($729 million in 2022 dollars ) Renovations: US$193 million (2005–06 repairs) ($280 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Curtis and Davis Associated Edward B. Silverstein & Associates Nolan, Norman & Nolan |
| Tenants | |
| New Orleans Saints (NFL) (1975–2004, 2006–present) Sugar Bowl (NCAA) (1975–2005, 2007–present) Tulane Green Wave (NCAA) (1975–2004, 2006–2013) New Orleans Jazz (NBA) (1975–1979) New Orleans Pelicans (AA) (1977) New Orleans Breakers (USFL) (1984) New Orleans Night (AFL) (1991–1992) New Orleans Bowl (NCAA) (2001–2004, 2006–present) New Orleans VooDoo (AFL) (2013) |
|
|
Louisiana Superdome
|
|
| NRHP reference No. | 15001004 |
| Designated | January 27, 2016 |
The Caesars Superdome is a huge stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. It's famous for being the home of the New Orleans Saints football team.
This amazing building first opened in 1975 as the Louisiana Superdome. It has a giant steel frame that covers an area bigger than 13 acres! The dome itself is 273 feet tall and 680 feet wide. This makes it one of the largest domed buildings in the world.
The Superdome has hosted many exciting sports events. It has been the site of seven Super Bowl games and five college basketball championships. The famous Sugar Bowl college football game has been played here since 1975. It also hosts the Bayou Classic, a big rivalry game between two historically black colleges.
In 2005, the Superdome became a "shelter of last resort" for thousands of people during Hurricane Katrina. The storm caused a lot of damage, and the stadium had to close for many months. But it was fixed up and reopened in September 2006, just in time for the Saints' first home game of the season.
History of the Superdome
Building the Dome
The idea for the Superdome came from a sports enthusiast named David Dixon. He wanted to bring an NFL team to New Orleans. The NFL Commissioner, Pete Rozelle, said New Orleans needed a domed stadium first.
Louisiana's governor, John McKeithen, supported the idea. After visiting the Astrodome in Houston, he wanted an even bigger one for Louisiana. Money was approved for the Superdome's construction in 1966. The stadium was designed to host football, baseball, and basketball games. It even had special areas for dirt that could be covered for football.
Building the Superdome took longer and cost more than planned. It was supposed to be ready for the 1972 NFL season and cost $46 million. But construction didn't start until 1971 and finished in 1975. The final cost jumped to $165 million due to delays and rising prices.
Early Years (1975–2004)
The New Orleans Saints played their first regular-season game in the Superdome in 1975. The first Super Bowl held here was Super Bowl XII in 1978.
The stadium originally had a special artificial grass called "Mardi Grass." This was later changed to a newer type of turf called FieldTurf in 2003.
Hurricane Katrina Shelter
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. The Superdome was used as a safe place for people who couldn't leave the city. Strong winds tore off part of the roof, and pictures of the damaged dome became famous images of the storm.
It cost $185 million to repair and update the Superdome. The government and the NFL helped pay for the repairs. A new playing surface was installed. The stadium reopened on September 25, 2006, with a big celebration. The Saints won their first game back, and it was a very exciting night for New Orleans.
Recent Changes (2008–Present)
Stadium Upgrades
Since 2008, the Superdome has had many improvements. New windows were added to let in natural light. The roof was restored to a solid white color. The entire outside of the stadium was replaced with new aluminum panels. This made the building look like its original design.
Inside, escalators were added, and the luxury suites were updated with modern features. A new system was installed so fans could use credit cards to buy food and drinks. The playing field has also been updated several times with new types of artificial turf.
In 2011, the lower seating area was changed to add 3,500 more seats. This also made the concourses wider and added new concession stands. These changes made the stadium better for football but meant it could no longer easily host baseball games.
New Names for the Dome
In 2011, the stadium's name was changed to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome after a company bought the naming rights. In 2021, the name changed again to the Caesars Superdome.
Statue of a Heroic Play
On July 27, 2012, a statue called Rebirth was put up next to the Superdome. It shows a famous play from a Saints game after Hurricane Katrina. In that game, Steve Gleason blocked a punt, which helped the Saints score a touchdown.
Super Bowl XLVII Power Outage
The Superdome hosted Super Bowl XLVII in 2013. During the game, a partial power outage stopped play for about 34 minutes. It was later found that a device outside the stadium caused the problem. The Superdome's own power system was fine.
Modern Scoreboards and Lights
In 2016, the stadium got two huge new video screens in the end zones. These screens are 330 feet wide and 35 feet tall! The lighting system was also upgraded to modern LED lights. These new lights can change colors and create cool light shows.
Ongoing Renovations
More big renovations are planned for the Superdome. These include new entrances, better concourses, and new food areas. Work began in 2020.
Roof Fire in 2021
On September 21, 2021, a small fire broke out on the Superdome roof during maintenance work. Firefighters quickly put it out. One person was hurt, but the building was not badly damaged, and future events were not affected.
Superdome Features
The Superdome sits on 70 acres of land. It has a huge inside space and a dome that is 680 feet wide.
Seating Capacity
The Superdome can hold 73,208 fans for football games, and up to 76,468 with extra seating. For basketball, it can hold 73,432 people. The record attendance for any event was 78,133 for WrestleMania 34 in 2018.
The number of seats for football has changed over the years:
| Years | Capacity |
|---|---|
| 1975–1978 | 74,452 |
| 1979–1984 | 71,330 |
| 1985–1986 | 71,647 |
| 1987–1990 | 69,723 |
| 1991–1994 | 69,065 |
| 1995 | 70,852 |
| 1996 | 64,992 |
| 1997 | 69,420 |
| 1998 | 69,028 |
| 1999 | 70,054 |
| 2000 | 64,900 |
| 2001 | 70,020 |
| 2002–2003 | 68,500 |
| 2004–2005 | 64,900 |
| 2006 | 68,354 |
| 2007–2010 | 72,968 |
| 2011–present | 73,208 (expandable to 76,468) |
Notable Events at the Superdome
Football Games
The Superdome is best known as the home of the New Orleans Saints NFL team. It's always packed with fans for their games.
The Superdome has hosted seven Super Bowls, which are the championship games of the NFL. It will host its eighth Super Bowl in 2025.
It also hosts major college football games like the Sugar Bowl and the New Orleans Bowl. The Bayou Classic, a big rivalry game between Grambling State and Southern University, is also played here every year.
The Superdome has hosted many high school football state championship games since 1981.
Super Bowl History
| Date | Super Bowl | Team (Visitor) | Points | Team (Home) | Points | Spectators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 15, 1978 | XII | Dallas Cowboys | 27 | Denver Broncos | 10 | 76,400 |
| January 25, 1981 | XV | Oakland Raiders | 27 | Philadelphia Eagles | 10 | 76,135 |
| January 26, 1986 | XX | Chicago Bears | 46 | New England Patriots | 10 | 73,818 |
| January 28, 1990 | XXIV | San Francisco 49ers | 55 | Denver Broncos | 10 | 72,919 |
| January 26, 1997 | XXXI | New England Patriots | 21 | Green Bay Packers | 35 | 72,301 |
| February 3, 2002 | XXXVI | St. Louis Rams | 17 | New England Patriots | 20 | 72,922 |
| February 3, 2013 | XLVII | Baltimore Ravens | 34 | San Francisco 49ers | 31 | 71,024 |
Home Field Advantage
The Superdome is known for being a very loud stadium, which gives the Saints a big advantage when they play at home. It can be so loud that visiting teams sometimes have trouble hearing each other!
Baseball Games
The Superdome used to be able to host baseball games. The first baseball game was an exhibition in 1976. The New Orleans Pelicans minor league team played here in 1977. Major League Baseball teams also played exhibition games in the Superdome.
Basketball Games
The Superdome has hosted the NCAA Men's Final Four (college basketball championships) six times. The New Orleans Jazz NBA team played their home games here from 1975 to 1979. They even set an attendance record for an NBA game with over 35,000 fans!
Boxing Matches
The Superdome has been the site of famous boxing matches. In 1978, Muhammad Ali won his third world Heavyweight title here. Another famous fight was in 1980, when Sugar Ray Leonard beat Roberto Durán in a match known as the "No Más Fight."
Other Sports and Events
The Superdome has hosted many other sports, including:
- Gymnastics: The USSR National Gymnastics Team performed here in 1976.
- Motocross: Dirt was brought into the stadium for exciting motocross races.
- Rugby: A rugby match was planned but canceled because of the artificial turf.
- Soccer: The U.S. women's national soccer team has played international games here.
- Professional Wrestling: Many big wrestling events have taken place in the Superdome.
- Tennis: A professional tennis team played here in 1978.
- Wrestling: High school wrestling championships have been held here.
Concerts and Shows
The Superdome has hosted many famous musicians and events:
- Early performers included Bob Hope and the Ringling Brothers Circus.
- Country music stars like Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard have played here.
- The Krewe of Endymion has held its huge Mardi Gras ball and concert at the Superdome since 1981.
- Many famous bands and artists have performed, including The Rolling Stones, Prince, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Guns N' Roses, Metallica, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, U2, Celine Dion, Cher, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Britney Spears, Usher, Destiny's Child, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, One Direction, Kevin Hart, Miranda Lambert, Taylor Swift, and Ed Sheeran.
- The annual Essence Music Festival has been held in the Superdome almost every year since 1995.
| Date | Artist | Opening act(s) | Tour / Concert name | Attendance | Revenue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 13, 1978 | The Rolling Stones | Van Halen Doobie Brothers |
US Tour 1978 | — | — | |
| December 5, 1981 | The Rolling Stones | George Thorogood The Neville Brothers |
American Tour 1981 | 87,500 / 87,500 | $1,531,250 | Attendees filled the floor area, as well as the regular seating sections. |
| February 14, 1983 | Kiss | Zebra | Creatures of the Night Tour/10th Anniversary Tour | 10,421 / 15,000 | $107,866 | Mardis Gras Eve Spectacular |
| February 1, 1985 | Prince | Apollonia 6 Sheila E. |
Purple Rain Tour | — | — | |
| October 6, 1987 | David Bowie | — | Glass Spider Tour | — | — | |
| November 27, 1987 | Whitney Houston | Kenny G | Moment of Truth World Tour | — | — | |
| October 18, 1988 | George Michael | — | Faith World Tour | 24,000 / 30,000 | $450,555 | |
| November 13, 1989 | The Rolling Stones | Living Colour | Steel Wheels Tour | 59,339 / 59,339 | $1,682,220 | |
| July 8, 1990 | Janet Jackson | Chuckii Booker | Rhythm Nation World Tour 1990 | — | — | |
| August 23, 1990 | New Kids on the Block | — | The Magic Summer Tour | — | — | |
| August 29, 1992 | Guns N' Roses Metallica |
Faith No More | Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour | 39,278 / 39,278 | $1,080,145 | |
| April 24, 1993 | Paul McCartney | — | The New World Tour | 38,971 / 41,211 | $843,850 | |
| May 14, 1994 | Pink Floyd | — | The Division Bell Tour | 41,475 / 41,475 | $1,401,445 | |
| August 1, 1994 | Janet Jackson | - | Janet World Tour | — | — | |
| October 10, 1994 | The Rolling Stones | Bryan Adams | Voodoo Lounge Tour | 32,687 / 40,000 | $1,464,250 | |
| July 9, 1996 | Kiss | The Melvins | Alive/Worldwide Tour | 16,308 / 16,308 | $513,665 | |
| November 21, 1997 | U2 | Third Eye Blind | PopMart Tour | 21,465 / 25,000 | $911,528 | |
| October 28, 1998 | Janet Jackson | — | The Velvet Rope Tour | — | — | |
| April 12, 1999 | Celine Dion | — | Let's Talk About Love World Tour | 20,047 / 20,047 | $1,153,562 | |
| June 23, 1999 | Cher | Cyndi Lauper Wild Orchid |
Do You Believe? | 12,754 / 16,000 | $712,529 | |
| February 26, 2000 | Backstreet Boys | Jungle Brothers Willa |
Into the Millennium Tour | 54,365 / 56,211 | $2,286,582 | |
| May 27, 2000 | NSYNC | P!nk Sisqó |
No Strings Attached Tour | 32,516 / 32,516 | $1,456,245 | |
| September 20, 2000 | Britney Spears | BBMak | Oops!... I Did It Again Tour | — | — | This concert was taped for a Fox TV special titled There's No Place Like Home. |
| August 22, 2001 | NSYNC | Amanda | PopOdyssey Tour | — | — | This show was filmed and released on VHS and DVD. |
| August 25, 2004 | Usher | Kanye West Christina Milian |
Truth Tour | — | — | |
| July 2, 2005 | Destiny's Child | — | Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It | — | — | This concert was part of the Essence Music Festival |
| July 7, 2007 | Kelly Rowland | — | — | — | — | This concert was part of the Essence Music Festival. |
| July 4, 2008 | Rihanna | — | Good Girl Gone Bad Tour | — | — | This show was part of the 2008 Essence Music Festival. |
| July 3, 2010 | Alicia Keys | Robin Thicke Melanie Fiona |
Freedom Tour | — | — | This concert was part of the Essence Music Festival |
| August 3, 2012 | Kenny Chesney Tim McGraw |
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals Jake Owen |
Brothers of the Sun Tour | 37,916 / 40,876 | $3,385,855 | |
| July 7, 2013 | Beyoncé | — | The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour | 38,441 / 38,441 | $5,766,150 | This concert was a part of the Essence Music Festival. |
| July 20, 2014 | Beyoncé Jay-Z |
— | On the Run Tour | 42,374 / 42,374 | $5,206,490 | |
| September 25, 2014 | One Direction | 5 Seconds of Summer | Where We Are Tour | 50,349 / 50,349 | $4,258,450 | |
| July 2, 2015 | Kevin Hart | — | What Now? Tour | — | — | |
| July 31, 2016 | Guns N' Roses | The Cult | Not In This Lifetime... Tour | 32,894 / 40,215 | $3,447,362 | |
| September 24, 2016 | Beyoncé | DJ Khaled | The Formation World Tour | 46,474 / 46,474 | $5,349,960 | Beyoncé was introduced to the stage by New Orleans native and "Formation" rapper Big Freedia. |
| May 27, 2017 | Miranda Lambert | — | Highway Vagabond Tour | — | — | This concert was part of Bayou Country Superfest. |
| September 14, 2017 | U2 | Beck | The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 | 34,536 / 34,536 | $3,873,405 | |
| September 13, 2018 | Beyoncé Jay-Z |
Chloe X Halle and DJ Khaled | On the Run II Tour | 40,939 / 40,939 | $5,437,147 | |
| September 22, 2018 | Taylor Swift | Camila Cabello Charli XCX |
Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour | 53,172 / 53,172 | $6,491,546 | |
| October 31, 2018 | Ed Sheeran | Snow Patrol Lauv |
÷ Tour | 42,295 / 42,295 | $2,827,815 | |
| July 15, 2019 | The Rolling Stones | Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk The Soul Rebels |
No Filter Tour | 35,023 / 35,023 | $7,163,692 | This concert was originally scheduled to take place on July 14, 2019, but was postponed due to Hurricane Barry. The highest-grossing concert at the stadium to date. |
Other Events
- In 1987, Pope John Paul II spoke to 80,000 children at the stadium.
- The Republican National Convention, a big political meeting, was held here in 1988.
- In 1996, Disney's movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame had its world premiere at the Superdome, with over 65,000 people attending.
- The TV game show Wheel of Fortune taped episodes in the dome in 2000.
- In 2020, the finish line for the reality competition show The Amazing Race 32 was at the Superdome.
