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The New Orleans Saints have paid the $11.4 million the franchise owed for renovations to the Superdome after team president Dennis Lauscha discussed his displeasure with the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District regarding the lack of clarity in renovations to the stadium, via the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).
After the LSED revealed that the Saints were $11.4 million behind on payments toward renovations, the team asked for then-unspecified “documentation” before payments were made. LSED officials responded that they “do not understand” what documents the team needed (per the Associated Press).
Lauscha responded by saying that it was “absolutely disingenuous and unprofessional for the LSED to make a statement that they are unaware of what we are looking for.”
Lauscha specified that the Saints’ decision to withhold payments resulted from dissatisfaction over the state’s posture in parallel negotiations regarding a long-term Superdome lease.
The president of the team revealed that the LSED “was informed that material progress toward a long-term lease had to be made or payments would be stopped.”
“As of late of last week, sufficient progress was not made and the Saints reached out to tell them, yet again, that payments would not be made until significant progress on the lease was accomplished,” he added, per the Associated Press.
The LSED responded in a statement that said there was “no legal basis” behind the team’s decision to hold back payments and attempt to negotiate a longer extension.
In an interview with the team’s official website, Lauscha said that the Saints have paid LSED $144.7 million of a total one-third share of $183 million. The entire project cost has expanded to $550 million after the original estimate was $450 million.
Despite the disagreement between both sides, the remaining work is still expected to be completed ahead of the 2024 NFL season (via the Associated Press). New Orleans is also set to host Super Bowl 59 at the Superdome, taking place in Feb. 2025.
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