Mercedes-Benz Superdome

The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, often referred to simply as the Superdome, is a domed sports and exhibition venue located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It primarily serves as the home venue for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL), the home stadium for the Sugar Bowl, New Orleans Bowl in college football and the longtime rivalry football game of the SWAC Conference’s Southern University and Grambling State University, known as the Bayou Classic (held yearly, every Thanksgiving Weekend).

It also houses their schools’ Battle of the Bands between The Southern University “The Human Jukebox” and Grambling State’s Tiger Marching Band.  Plans were drawn up by the New Orleans modernist architectural firm of Curtis and Davis and the building opened as the Louisiana Superdome in 1975. Its steel frame covers a 13-acre (5.3 ha) expanse and the 273-foot (83 m) dome is made of a lamellar multi-ringed frame and has a diameter of 680 feet (210 m), making it the largest fixed domed structure in the world. It is adjacent to the Smoothie King Center.

General information

Official website: http://www.mbsuperdome.com/

Arena capacity: 73,208  spectators

Address: 1500 Sugar Bowl Dr, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 29°57′3″N 90°4′52″W

Year of construction: August 3, 1975

Construction cost: $624 million

Field: Act Global UBU Speed S5-M Synthetic Turf lawn

Seating plan of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome

Bunker Club

The Bunker Club sections at the Superdome gives fans access to one of two unique club lounges under the stadium seating. Named Bunker Club East and Bunker Club West, these exclusive lounges feature upscale bathrooms, high-end dining, premium lighting, dozens of LCD televisions featuring NFL action and comfortable seating.

Loge Club

Aside from the excellent lines of sight and ideal viewing height, fans in the Loge Club seats will be treated to a premium experience during Saints home games. Ticket holders here will have access to an upscale Loge Club lounge area, offer premium food and beverage options available for purchase and multiple flat-screen TV monitors throughout.

Plaza Club

Fans in the Plaza Club sections will have access to two different upscale lounges, the North Plaza Club Room, and the South Plaza Club Room. Each lounge features premium food and beverage available for purchase (including a full, cash bar), private restrooms, and all within a premium atmosphere which has numerous televisions broadcasting the game on the field and the NFL Red Zone channel.

Recommended Seats for Kids and Family

Sections 205, 247, 302 and 303:

• Close to a number of concessions and amenities;
• Good viewing height from the second tier of seating at the Superdome.

Recommended Seats for Impressing a Guest

Sections 221, 223, 263 and 265:

• Incredible sight lines from right near midfield;
• Excellent views from an elevation that allows you to see all areas of the field;
• Premium club amenities.

Recommended Seats for Great Views of the Field

Sections 113, 114, 115 and 141:

• Excellent views near midfield;
• Close proximity to the action from the lowest seating tier;
• The ultimate seats for football games at the Superdome.

Where to buy tickets?

Box Office Location

The Smoothie King Center Box Office sells tickets for Mercedes-Benz Superdome events during normal business hours (9:00 AM – 4:30 PM) Monday through Friday.

On Superdome event days, you can purchase tickets at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome Box Office at Gate A Ground or on the Plaza Level with the exception of some events.

The Mercedes-Benz Superdome has eight windows at the Main Box Office located at Gate A Ground Level. The Smoothie King Center Box Office is open on non-event days Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM. The Superdome Box Office is only open on Superdome event days.

Purchasing Tickets

Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster Outlets, the Smoothie King Center Box Office, Mercedes-Benz Superdome Box Office on event days, or charge by phone.

Ticketmaster Express, Ticketmaster’s national IVR automated phone line, is a quick and easy self-service method of buying tickets. This line is available 24 hours each day, 7 days a week. This self-service information and ticket purchasing line is available for the majority of events handled by Ticketmaster. Please note that you will not be able to speak with a Ticketmaster representative using Ticketmaster Express.

This is an easy access number that directly points Ticketmaster customers to customer service for support on previously placed orders.

Wal-Mart Ticketing Centers

Tickets are available for purchase at the following Wal-Mart locations in Southeast Louisiana:

• 1901 Tchoupitoulas, New Orleans;
• 4001 Behrman, New Orleans;
• 300 W. Esplanade, Kenner;
• 1616 W Airline Hwy, LaPlace;
• 4810 LaPalco Blvd, Marrero;
• 167 Northshore Blvd, Slidell;
• 1501 Manhattan Blvd, Harvey;
• 880 N. Hwy 190, Covington.

The Saints have sold out every game on a season ticket basis since 2006. This does not mean no tickets are available or that tickets on the secondary market are impossible to get. Often you can find tickets priced in the $60- 100 range in the upper levels of the stadium. You can expect lots close in to the Superdome to cost between $25-30. You can save yourself quite a bit of money by taking the Canal Street streetcar to and from the game. A one-day unlimited ride fare costs you only $3.00. Hotels can be quite pricey close in to the stadium and in the tourist areas of New Orleans. The further you get from these areas you get, the cheaper the room rate. You will still be able to get to the game in less than 30 minutes from anywhere in the greater New Orleans metro area. Concessions can be expensive, but the food offerings at Saints games are so unique to the region that it is worth the extra cost.

How to get there?

The Mercedes-Benz Superdome is located at 1500 Sugar Bowl Dr. in New Orleans, LA.

There are numerous parking lots and garages within easy walking distance of the Superdome that are open to the public and quite affordable. If you’re willing to walk around 15 minutes to the stadium you can find parking for as low as $10! Quite a deal for a parking space at a major NFL stadium. Most of the cheaper options are open surface parking lots, often underneath an interstate overpass. Otherwise, there are many parking garages just a few blocks away from the stadium that cost between $15-$40.

Book a space ahead of time so that you know exactly where you’re going to park, how much you’ll pay, that a space will be waiting for you on the other end of your journey. This is the easiest way to make sure that things go smoothly on game day and remove the potential stress from your Superdome parking experience.

The SMG managed complex has a total of seven (7) parking garages for public parking and two (2) surface lots, which can accommodate approximately 7,000 vehicles. The parking garages and surface lots are adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and the Smoothie King Center. The public parking garages are designated #1, #1A, #2, #2A, #5, #6 and Champions Garage. The surface lots are designated as Lot 3 and Lot 4.

Note that all parking facilities may not be available for every event.

The garages and lots located at the Superdome are certainly the closest, but can become really crowded and sell out quickly. There are plenty of garages and lots within walking distance of the stadium, but the Heal Garage at 300 Lasalle Street offers tons of inventory, is within close walking distance on the stadium, and allows parkers to reserve spots in advance to ensure you’ll have a parking spot for the game.

Re-entry and overnight parking are prohibited. Solicitations of any type as well as unauthorized tailgating are strictly prohibited. Vehicles of any kind parked illegally or in restricted areas are subject to tagging and towing without notice.

Bikes racks are available for use in Lot 3 on the wall closest to Champions Garage. Patrons can access the bike racks in Lot 3 from the pedestrian gates at the corner of Dave Dixon Dr. and LeRouge St.

For event day parking rates and information, please refer to the event information page for that specific event. Note that all parking garages accept cash only.

Tailgating At the Superdome

Tailgating is prohibited in all official parking garages and lots run by the SMG group, unauthorized tailgating will result in ejection from the garage or lot. There are a few options around the stadium that will allow you to tailgate before the game.

Champions Square – this is a great option for those fans looking for the classic NFL pregame experience. Located at the base of the Superdome, you can either park in one of the official SMG lots and wander over, or reserve a space at a nearby garage ahead of time.

Many Saints fans will tailgate underneath the overpass of I-10, which would be a good first place to look if you’re driving into town.

Alternatively, you can check out these parking lots if you’re looking to hold a tailgate of your own:

• 782 Loyola Avenue – 0.6 miles away;
• 500 S Rampart St – 0.5 miles away;
• 701 S Rampart St – 0.6 miles away;
• 2000 Loyola Ave. – 0.8 miles away.

Handicapped Parking at the Superdome

Parking for guests with disabilities is located on the top and bottom levels of each official garage with wheelchair accessible ramps. Additionally, there is parking available in Lot 3 along the fence closest to the Smoothie King Center. To gain access to ADA parking, proper vehicle registration is required as well as a current disabled placard with a matching identification card. To request specific ADA parking information for a particular event, contact guess services.

Best local transportation to get to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome

The Mercedes-Benz Superdome is the premiere centerpiece of downtown New Orleans, and there are so many great events that happen there. There are monster truck shows, football games, wrestling events, concerts, and so much more. The home of the New Orleans Saints is easy to find, but you’ve got to know how to get there as well. So many events happen in the Superdome and you’ve got to get there, but how do you?

Sure, you know the directions and the right way to go, but what’s the best way to actually arrive at “The Dome?” It may seem like an easy-to-answer question, but it’s not as simplistic as one may think. There is always the option of driving into the Central Business District (CBD) of New Orleans, but parking is not the easiest thing to deal with. The more cars, the bigger the problem there is to find parking. With that, the first local transportation to the Superdome may be best.

Carpool

Band together with friends or neighbors and drive together. If you can fit five people in one car, then that’s four less cars taking up parking spots. You can grab a taxi too, but being charged by the minute can get pricey when you’re sitting in gameday traffic.

RTA

The bus system can be a truly easy way to head into downtown New Orleans. The biggest thing is making sure you know the bus schedule and where to catch one that goes near where you are heading.

Streetcar

Who wouldn’t love a leisurely stroll on a New Orleans Streetcar? This a great way to get to the Superdome because you’ll be able to see some of the great city sights along the way. Once again though, make sure you check the streetcar schedule to know your best pick-up and drop-off locations.

Walking

It’s free, it’s cheap, and it’s bound to happen with any transportation method you’re going to take. Unless someone is dropping you off right in front of The Dome, you’re going to have to walk a little ways. It’s not a bad idea though. If you show up early enough for your event, you can enjoy so many aspects of New Orleans along the way.

Where to eat?

New Orleans is one of the culinary capitals in this country and the Saints know it. As a result, the concession offerings are heavily weighted towards local specialties. Parrish Grill serves up such items as shrimp po’ boys, catfish and seafood nachos while Poydras Street Po’ Boys serves po’ boys with prime rib, pork and roast beef options. There are many specialty carts which offer regional fare. The most unique amongst these are the Cajun Corner carts. They offer Cajun staples such as jambalaya, crawfish and Cajun sausages made of various meats. For the adventurous try the grilled alligator variety of sausage (it does not taste like chicken!) For those more at home with standard stadium fare, head to the King’s Table, Royal Feast or Saint Jack’s BBQ.

Here you will find the basics of hot dogs, popcorn, pretzels and hamburgers.

Fans do not have to wait until after the game to get their adult beverages. New Orleans’ legendary Pat O’Briens has its own stand, which offers its famed Hurricanes, Daiquiris and other exotic drinks. There is a wide selection of both domestic and premium beers as well as craft brews available at nearly every stand.

Atmosphere

Tailgating in the traditional form is not allowed at the Superdome as much of the parking is in confined parking decks adjacent to the stadium. However, this does not impede from “les bon temps roulette” or letting the good times roll. Since 2010, they have been heading to the Champions Square area located just outside the stadium. It is truly a New Orleans street party atmosphere with dancing, jazz bands, lots of food and drink and plenty of free giveaways from local vendors. This space has become so popular that it is used year-round for a variety of community events.

Once inside the Dome, the party really gets started, as the fans are loose and ready for some for football. You will hear “When the Saints Go Marching In” after every home score, and the chant “Who dat” used in several situations that arise during the game. Halftimes often feature one of the high stepping bands from one of the many local HCBU’s which really keep the fans in their seats during the break.

We will discuss at more length in the Fan section, but for Saints fans every Sunday is Halloween. You have never seen such an array of gold and black outfits in all your life. Add the bands, the cheers and the outfits together and confine it within a domed stadium and you have one loud place to distract the opposition.

Neighborhood

The Mercedes- Benz Superdome is in the Central Business District (CBD) area of New Orleans. It is primarily a business area with few tourist attractions. However, it is located less than two miles from the sights most people are acquainted with in the Big Easy, including Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, the Garden District and the Mississippi Riverfront. New Orleans is an epicurean’s delight and we would not presume to cover all the wonderful options for dining in the area. Two options you might want to consider are Café DuMonde on Jackson Square for a pregame beignet on Sunday morning. It is truly a tradition to sample one of these powdered sugar delights. The second spot is part of Chef Emeril Lagasse’s culinary empire and is simply called NOLA. It offers a casual menu filled with Cajun and seafood specialties.

Lodging in New Orleans is plentiful, as the city still is rebuilding its tourism industry following Katrina. The two best located hotels for the Mercedes- Benz Superdome are the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, which is located next door to the Dome and the Holiday Inn New Orleans Superdome on Loyola Avenue.

There are so many attractions in the New Orleans area it is impossible to list them all in this article.

We have decided to highlight two attractions, one of which is uniquely New Orleans and one that is new to the city, but offers a quality experience. The first “must do” is a visit to Preservation Hall on Saint Peters Street. Jazz originated in New Orleans and the place to immerse yourself in its’ “church”. Shows occur 4 times a day, 7 days a week and feature everything from the actual Preservation Hall Jazz Band itself to up and coming jazz musicians. New Orleans is also home to the fairly new National World War II Museum on Magazine Street. All of us had some member of our family from the Greatest Generation take part in this worldwide conflict. The museum mixes a vast array of military equipment from the era with taped recollections from those who served. You will come away from the museum with a greater sense of the sacrifice all Americans made in the war effort.

Fans

The fanbase in New Orleans has come a long way from the days of the “Aints”, when fans wore bags over their heads. Coach Sean Payton and Drew Brees have turned the city and the fanbase around with a combination of winning football and very active civic involvement. Oddly enough, Hurricane Katrina seemed to be the turning point. The Saints organization was very active in relief efforts, both through philanthropy and through visits to the communities most affected by the storm to show that they cared. This really built a bond between the team and its residents. The team also took off on an upward trend in the first season at home after Katrina, making it all the way to the NFC Championship game. The following season the Saints won their first and only Super Bowl Championship over the Indianapolis Colts. There have been some up and down years recently, but the fans support has never wavered.

Saints fans are boisterous and intimidating, but they are good natured as well. They love to dress up in the most frightening attire outside of the Oakland Raiders, but hey this is the home of the Mardi Gras, where everyone is expected to dress up.

By far the biggest rivalry for the Saints is with the Atlanta Falcons. They play in the same division, joined the NFL at approximately the same time, and are geographically close. This means both teams travel well, with large numbers of fans traveling to the opposing city. The Saints fans thrive on this rivalry, with trash talk starting the week before the game. However, once the game is over, win or lose, everyone heads over to Bourbon Street, where the loser buys a drink for the winner.

History

Bonds were passed for construction of the Superdome seven days after commissioner Pete Rozelle awarded New Orleans the 25th professional football franchise. The stadium was conceptualized to be a multifunctional stadium for football, baseball and basketball [with moveable field level stands that would be arranged specifically for each sport and areas with dirt (for the bases and pitchers mound) covered with metal plates on the stadium floor (they were covered by the artificial turf during football games)] and there are also Meeting Rooms that could be rented for many different purposes.

Dixon imagined the possibilities of staging simultaneous high school football games side-by-side and suggested that the synthetic surface be white. Blount International of Montgomery, Alabama was chosen to build the stadium.

It was hoped the stadium would be ready in time for the NFL season, and the final cost of the facility would come in at $46 million. Instead, due to political delays, construction did not start until August 11, 1971, and was not finished until August 1975, seven months after Super Bowl was scheduled to be played in the stadium.

Factoring in inflation, construction delays, and the increase in transportation costs caused by the oil crisis, the final price tag of the stadium skyrocketed to $165 million. Along with the state police, Elward Thomas Brady, Jr., a state representative from Terrebonne Parish and a New Orleans native, conducted an investigation into possible financial irregularities, but the Superdome went forward despite the obstacles.

Renovations

Each suite includes modernized rooms with raised ceilings, leather sofas, and flat-screen TVs, as well as glass brushed aluminum and wood-grain furnishings. A new $600,000 point-of-sale system was also installed, allowing fans to purchase concessions with credit cards throughout the stadium for the first time.

The Superdome installed 111,831 square feet (10,389.4 m2) of the UBU Speed S5-M synthetic turf system, an Act Global brand. Then Act Global installed a new turf in time for the NFL Season. The Superdome has the largest continuous synthetic turf system in the NFL.

Demolition and new construction began to the lower bowl of the stadium, reconfiguring it to increase seating by 3,500, widening the plaza concourse, building two bunker club lounges and adding additional concession stands. Crews tore down the temporary stairs that lead from Champions Square to the Dome, and replaced them with permanent steps. New 7,500-square-foot (700 m2) bunker lounges on each side of the stadium were built. The lounges are equipped with flat-screen TVs, granite counter tops and full-service bars.

These state-of-the-art lounges can serve 4,500 fans, whose old plaza seats were upgraded to premium tickets, giving those fans leather chairs with cup-holders. The plaza level was extended, closing in space between the concourse and plaza seating, adding new restrooms and concession areas. The renovations also ended the stadium’s ability to convert to a baseball configuration.

Statue

A statue was unveiled at a plaza next to the Superdome. The work, titled Rebirth, depicts one of the most famous plays in Saints history—Steve Gleason’s block of a Michael Koenen punt that the Saints recovered for a touchdown early in the first quarter of the team’s first post-Katrina game in the Superdome.

End zone scoreboards and new lighting

The smaller videoboards formerly located along the end zone walls above the upper seating bowl were replaced with two large Panasonic high definition LED displays. Other upgrades included a complete upgrade to the Superdome’s interior floodlighting system to an efficient LED system with programmable coloring, light show effects, and instant on-off; in normal mode the stadium will have a more vibrant and naturally pleasing system resembling natural daylight.