The Louisiana Superdome, for now still scheduled to host an NFL regular-season opener Sunday between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, appeared to be in good condition after the worst of Hurricane Gustav had passed, the stadium’s operator said.
“We’re in good shape,” said Doug Thornton, vice president of SMG, the company that manages the Superdome and neighboring New Orleans Arena. “We’ve got some exterior signs ripped and things like that, downed fences and light poles blown over, but nothing major, nothing structural or nothing that would affect the interior condition of the building.”
Thornton, who spearheaded the ambitious $200 million, eight-month renovation of the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina, remained in the stadium with a handful of staff during the storm Sunday night and Monday.
Thornton said there was no noticeable structural or interior damage, but stressed that a more thorough inspection still needed to be done. The stadium had yet to lose normal power as of Monday afternoon, he said.
While the dome may be in good shape, whether or not the Saints play there depends on several factors, including when the city allows residents to return.
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