Less than four years after Hurricane Katrina tore up the Louisiana Superdome and cast doubt on the future of major professional sports in New Orleans, the city is formally pronouncing itself ready to bring back the Super Bowl.
The New Orleans Saints and the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation on Friday submitted a bid to host the NFL’s championship game in 2013, which would be the city’s 10th Super Bowl and first since the New Englans Patriots' last-second victory over the St. Louis Rams in 2002.
“With 18,000 downtown hotel rooms, the Superdome, the convention center and French Quarter all within walking distance of each other, New Orleans is still very well-suited to host this event,” said Jay Cicero, the sports foundation’s president. “The renovated Superdome is very impressive and with planned improvements the dome will be even better for events like this.”