Caesars Superdome
A major domed sports and entertainment stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the longtime home of the New Orleans Saints.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Caesars Superdome is a multipurpose domed stadium in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana. Opened in 1975 as the Louisiana Superdome, it was conceived as a way to secure a National Football League franchise for the city and has since become one of the most recognizable sports and event buildings in the United States. The stadium has been known as the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and, since 2021, Caesars Superdome. The project was promoted by local businessman David Dixon, who argued that New Orleans needed a covered venue before the NFL would consider placing a franchise there. The building was designed by the New Orleans architectural firm Curtis and Davis. Its distinctive steel-and-concrete structure covers approximately 13 acres, with a dome rising about 273 feet and spanning roughly 680 feet. At completion, it was widely regarded as the world's largest fixed domed structure. Construction began in 1971 after delays and the facility opened in August 1975. The New Orleans Saints have used the Superdome as their home venue since the stadium opened. It has also hosted college football, basketball, concerts, conventions and other large-scale events. The Sugar Bowl has been played there since 1975, and the venue has traditionally hosted the Bayou Classic between Grambling State University and Southern University. It was also home to Tulane University's football team for many years and hosted the NBA's New Orleans Jazz from 1975 to 1979. The stadium has staged multiple NCAA men's basketball championships, national championship events and eight Super Bowls, including Super Bowl LIX in 2025. The building became a global symbol of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It served as a shelter of last resort for residents unable to evacuate, while high winds tore away a substantial portion of its exterior covering. The facility remained closed during extensive repairs and reopened for the Saints' 2006 home opener. That reopening, featuring performances by U2, Green Day and the Goo Goo Dolls, was closely associated with New Orleans's post-Katrina recovery and the return of major public events to the city. Subsequent capital work modernized the exterior, suites, concourses, seating, turf, lighting, video displays and concessions. A large renovation program approved in 2019 reconfigured circulation areas, added improved hospitality and food-service facilities, and introduced field-level event spaces. The work was carried out in phases while the stadium remained an active venue. Caesars Entertainment acquired naming rights in 2021, producing the current name. Today the Superdome functions as a flagship venue for professional football, college sports, music, conventions and nationally televised events, while remaining closely identified with New Orleans and the Saints.
History
The origins of Caesars Superdome lie in New Orleans's effort to obtain an NFL franchise. Local businessman David Dixon promoted the idea of a large, enclosed multipurpose stadium after discussions with NFL officials indicated that the league would not expand into the city without a domed facility. Louisiana Governor John McKeithen supported the concept, and voters approved construction bonds on November 8, 1966, shortly after the NFL awarded New Orleans its expansion franchise, later known as the Saints. The building was designed by Curtis and Davis, a New Orleans modernist architectural practice. It was intended to accommodate football, baseball and basketball, with movable seating and arrangements that could support different sports and event formats. Blount International was selected as the builder. Political and financing delays postponed the start of construction until August 11, 1971. The stadium was originally expected to be ready for the 1972 NFL season, but construction delays, inflation and the 1973 oil crisis sharply increased both the schedule and the cost. The facility eventually opened in August 1975 as the Louisiana Superdome. The Saints moved from Tulane Stadium to the new building. Their first regular-season game there, on September 28, 1975, ended in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The venue quickly became a central part of the city's sports calendar. The Sugar Bowl established the Superdome as an important college-football venue, while the building also hosted the New Orleans Jazz during the club's early NBA years and served as Tulane's principal football venue for decades. Its enclosed environment made it particularly valuable for New Orleans events affected by heat, rain and tropical weather. The first Super Bowl at the facility was Super Bowl XII in January 1978. Over subsequent decades, the building hosted additional Super Bowls, NCAA men's basketball championships, concerts and conventions. Its original artificial surface, developed by Monsanto and marketed as Mardi Grass, was replaced by newer turf systems, including an infilled FieldTurf installation in 2003. The stadium also remained a traditional site for the Bayou Classic, the football rivalry between Grambling State and Southern. Hurricane Katrina transformed the building's public meaning. On August 29, 2005, the Superdome became a shelter of last resort for people unable to leave New Orleans. The storm peeled away a major section of the exterior covering, exposing the underlying structure and creating an image that came to represent the disaster. Conditions inside the shelter were extremely difficult, and media reports circulated allegations of violence and criminal activity; some claims were later disputed or never confirmed. The building was closed while repairs and refurbishment were undertaken. Repair work combined federal, state, bond-financing and NFL contributions. The Superdome reopened on September 25, 2006, for the Saints' first home game after the disaster. The event included a pregame performance by U2 and Green Day and a concert by the Goo Goo Dolls. The Saints won 23–3, and the nationally televised reopening became an important civic moment in New Orleans's recovery. Modernization continued after the reopening. New windows, exterior cladding and insulation improved the building's appearance and performance. Suites, concessions, escalators, hospitality areas and point-of-sale systems were upgraded. Later projects replaced end-zone video boards and installed programmable LED lighting. A major renovation approved in 2019 introduced new atriums in place of portions of the former ramp system, improved concourses, alternative exits, expanded food-service infrastructure and field-level club or event spaces. Work proceeded in phases and was completed in time for the stadium's role in Super Bowl LIX in 2025. The venue's commercial identity also changed. Mercedes-Benz purchased naming rights in 2011, creating the Mercedes-Benz Superdome name. After that agreement ended, Caesars Entertainment became the naming-rights partner in 2021. The current Caesars Superdome remains owned by the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District and continues to serve as the Saints' home and one of the most prominent event venues in the American South.
- 2025
Renovations completed for Super Bowl LIX
[1]The phased modernization program was completed in time for the stadium to host Super Bowl LIX.
- 2021
Caesars naming rights announced
[1]Caesars Entertainment became the naming-rights partner, giving the stadium its current name.
- 2019
Major renovation plan approved
[1]The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District approved a broad renovation program for circulation, hospitality and event spaces.
- 2016
Large video boards and LED lighting added
[1]The stadium replaced its end-zone displays with large HD screens and upgraded interior lighting to programmable LEDs.
- 2013
Super Bowl XLVII power interruption
[1]A partial electrical failure interrupted play during the Super Bowl for approximately 34 minutes.
- 2011
Mercedes-Benz naming rights began
[1]The venue received its first commercial naming-rights name, Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
- 2006
Post-Katrina reopening
[1]The stadium reopened for the Saints' September 25 home opener after extensive repairs.
- 2005
Hurricane Katrina shelter and damage
[1]The Superdome sheltered displaced residents and sustained severe exterior damage during Hurricane Katrina.
- 2003
FieldTurf installation
[1]The original Mardi Grass artificial surface was replaced during the season by a newer infilled FieldTurf system.
- 1978
First Super Bowl hosted
[1]Super Bowl XII was the first Super Bowl played in the stadium.
Products and positioning
A landmark, high-capacity indoor sports and entertainment venue serving as New Orleans's principal stadium for professional football, major college sports and nationally visible events.
Professional football · 1975
New Orleans Saints home games
The Saints have played their home games at the stadium since its opening in 1975. The team is the venue's principal long-term sports tenant and gives the building its strongest recurring event identity.
College football · 1975
Sugar Bowl
The annual Sugar Bowl has been played at the Superdome since 1975. It is one of the major traditional college-football bowl games and a recurring national sporting event for New Orleans.
College football
Bayou Classic
The Superdome traditionally hosts the Bayou Classic, the prominent football rivalry between Grambling State University and Southern University, two historically Black institutions.
Major sporting events · 1978
Super Bowl events
The stadium has hosted eight Super Bowls, making it one of the competition's most frequently used venues. These events generate extensive national broadcast, hospitality and visitor activity.
College basketball
NCAA men's basketball championships
The building has hosted six NCAA men's basketball championships and other major college basketball events, using its large enclosed bowl and adaptable event infrastructure.
Live entertainment · 1975
Concerts and festivals
The Superdome accommodates large concerts, festivals and cultural events. Its capacity, weather protection and central location make it a major indoor event platform for the New Orleans market.
Controversies
2005
Disputed reports of criminal activity during Hurricane Katrina sheltering
Media accounts and later commentary described alleged violence, sexual assault, vandalism and other criminal activity inside the Superdome while it was being used as an emergency shelter. Several claims were unconfirmed or disputed; the New Orleans police superintendent stated that there were no confirmed reports of sexual assault at the time cited.
Marketing campaigns
- 2006Post-Katrina reopening
United States
The reopening was presented as both a Saints event and a symbol of New Orleans's recovery after Hurricane Katrina. Musical performances and national television coverage gave the occasion a major civic and media profile.
Outcome. The stadium returned to operation, and the Saints won their first post-Katrina home game.
Brand decisions
2021
Caesars naming-rights agreement adoptedOtherBackground
Mercedes-Benz did not renew its naming-rights agreement, creating an opportunity for a new commercial partner.
Action taken
Caesars Entertainment acquired naming rights and the venue became Caesars Superdome.
Aftermath
The Caesars name became the stadium's current public identity.
2019
Major phased renovation approvedStrategyBackground
The stadium required continued modernization of circulation, hospitality, concessions and event infrastructure while remaining an active sports venue.
Action taken
The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District approved a renovation program involving new atriums, improved concourses, alternative exits, food-service areas and field-level event spaces.
Aftermath
Construction proceeded in phases and was completed in time for Super Bowl LIX in 2025.
announced renovation cost. 450 million USD (2019 announcement)
2013
Electrical systems reviewed after Super Bowl interruptionOtherBackground
A partial power failure stopped play during Super Bowl XLVII and disrupted portions of the broadcast.
Action taken
Investigators examined the electrical equipment serving the facility and identified a relay device in an Entergy-owned electrical vault as the cause.
Aftermath
The stadium's own power system was reported not to have been compromised, and the game resumed after approximately 34 minutes.
2011
Commercial naming rights sold to Mercedes-BenzOtherBackground
The stadium had operated for decades under the Louisiana Superdome name before pursuing a commercial naming-rights arrangement.
Action taken
The facility was renamed Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Aftermath
The commercial name remained in use until the agreement was replaced by Caesars Entertainment's naming-rights deal in 2021.
Recent events
KultureCity partners with venue operators on sensory rooms[3]
Reported:
KultureCity partnered with Caesars Superdome and Smoothie King Center to build a new sensory room and update two other sensory rooms on campus.
Sources3 sources
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