#caesarssuperdome

The New Orleans Saints have anchored themselves more securely in their city of home than ever before — owner Gayle Benson has signed a new lease with the state of Louisiana that ensures the team plays in the Caesars Superdome through at least the 2035 season. The agreement carries promises of capital improvements to the aging venue, signaling the franchise’s intent to remain a fixture in New Orleans and even vie for future Super Bowls under its iconic roof.

A Decade of Certainty at the Dome

The Saints and the Louisiana Stadium & Exposition District concluded protracted negotiations to extend the lease that was originally due to expire in 2030. The 10-year extension runs through 2035, with options embedded for up to four additional five-year renewals — meaning that, if all options are exercised, the lease could last until 2055.

While the financial terms have not been fully disclosed, the deal stipulates shared responsibilities for future capital investments and upgrades to the Superdome. In particular, the state and the team will coordinate on improvements to fan amenities and structural upkeep.

Governor Jeff Landry, who joined Benson in the signing on the field, emphasized the deep bond between the Saints and their city, saying the team and the Superdome are “one.” Benson herself noted that discussions over the lease had spanned multiple state administrations, a pandemic, and even the aftermath of Hurricane Ida before arriving at this agreement.

Why It Matters — Beyond Just Tenure

Stability for Fans, Team & City

In a league where relocation rumors and stadium disputes are ever-present, the certainty of a long-term lease offers emotional and operational calm. For fans, it’s a promise that home games will remain local, and for the team, it means continuity in planning, branding, and community identity.

Hosting Another Super Bowl?

With the lease secured, Benson intends to submit bids to host future Super Bowls in New Orleans again. The NFL typically requires that candidate stadiums have secure long-term leases in place for the years they’d host the game, making this extension a strategic move in bidding cycles.

Shared Investment & Upgrades

The Superdome is not new. It’s been the Saints’ home since 1975 and has undergone multiple renovations — including post-Katrina repairs and more recent modernization efforts.

Under the new agreement, both the state and the Saints commit to capital improvements, shared costs, and upgrades to seating, concessions, structural systems, and fan experience. In some reporting, the lease stipulates a fixed annual rent (for the state’s portion) and splits operating burdens, especially insurance. Meanwhile, the team’s training facility, Benson Tower office leases, and parking revenues have also been woven into the broader negotiation.

Legacy & Succession Intricacies

Gayle Benson, 78, inherited the team after her husband’s death, and her estate plan reportedly mandates the eventual sale of the Saints — but with a clause encouraging the team to stay in New Orleans. Still, a lease does not guarantee permanence beyond its term, so the 2035 anchor is both firm and open-ended.

Challenges That Still Lurk

Age & Upkeep of the Stadium

The Superdome is old, with years of heavy use demanding constant maintenance. It needs structural reinforcement, modern amenities, system upgrades, and fan-experience enhancements to stay competitive with newer stadiums.

If either party delays investment or balks on funding, the facility could lag behind peers, possibly creating tension in future negotiations.

Political & Fiscal Accountability

Because the Superdome is state-owned, negotiations necessarily involve public resources, taxpayer interest, and political oversight. Any perceived misuse or imbalance could inflame local politics. The state will want assurance that the agreement is fair, transparent, and beneficial to Louisiana.

Market Pressures & NFL Dynamics

Across the NFL, stadium deals, revenue sharing, media rights, and franchise valuations all interplay. If the Saints lag behind in stadium tech or revenue-generation capabilities, that could influence their competitiveness or bargaining power within the league.

Time-Bound Nature of Leases

Even a lease stretching to 2035 (or further via extensions) isn’t a permanent guarantee. As 2035 approaches, anew negotiation looms. If new ownership or shifting economics change the calculus, the Saints may face tough decisions about renewal, relocation, or rethinking their stadium strategy.

What to Look for Next

Official NFL Approval: The contract must be submitted to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for league sanctioning.

Capital Projects Timeline: Watch how soon upgrades begin, and whether fan areas, accessibility, tech infrastructure, and amenities improve visibly.

Bid for Super Bowl 2031 & Beyond: Whether New Orleans renews its Super Bowl hosting ambitions will depend on alignment between lease, stadium condition, and NFL selection criteria.

Lease Options Execution: Whether the future five-year options are exercised will test the durability of this partnership.

Stakeholder Pushbacks: Fans, city officials, and critics will closely monitor whether promises are kept, costs are fair, and progress is tangible.

By locking in the Superdome through 2035 with built-in extensions and shared investment, the Saints have laid down a bold marker: their roots in New Orleans run deep. The next chapters will show whether that marker grows stronger with time or faces pressure from the shifting tides of sports business, infrastructure demands, and legacy transitions.

New Orleans, long a marquee NFL destination, has hit a roadblock in its effort to host Super Bowl LXV in 2031 at the Caesars Superdome. Because the Saints and the State of Louisiana have not finalized a lease extension beyond 2030, they missed a key NFL deadline, disqualifying New Orleans from submitting a bid. With the lease talks ongoing and the stakes high, the city may have lost its first chance to bring another Super Bowl to the Dome—but the story isn’t over.

The Deadline They Missed

The NFL has strict deadlines for cities to submit bids to host the Super Bowl. For 2031, one such deadline was tied directly to having a lease in place that covers the host stadium throughout the bid year. New Orleans’ lease with the state, covering the Caesars Superdome, currently expires in 2030. Because the extension beyond that date hasn’t been officially signed, the city was ineligible to submit its 2031 bid when the deadline passed. Saints officials confirmed that without a signed lease, the city “cannot advance as an option to bid on future Super Bowl games.”

Why the Lease Matters

It’s not just legal paperwork—it’s about certainty. For an event as massive as the Super Bowl, the NFL needs guarantees that the stadium will be available, under the same management, and in suitable shape for everything the game demands: logistics, security, infrastructure, local regulations, hotel capacity, and more. A lease that expires before the event year creates too much risk. The NFL doesn’t want to award the hosting rights to a city that might not have control of its stadium for that year.

What’s at Stake for New Orleans

New Orleans has hosted more Super Bowls than most cities—11 times, tying with Miami for the record. The Caesars Superdome has long been a crown jewel for big events. Beyond prestige, Super Bowls bring economic windfalls in tourism, hospitality, local business, and media exposure. In February 2025, Super Bowl LIX held in New Orleans reportedly generated over one billion dollars in economic impact for the state. Missing out on 2031 could mean losing another huge opportunity.

How Lease Negotiations Became the Bottleneck

The current lease between the Saints and Louisiana doesn’t extend past 2030. Talks are underway to extend it—some proposals are for a lease that would go through 2040 or even 2055. But negotiation is complicated. Officials say it involves large sums of money, shared responsibilities for maintenance, upgrades, revenue, and long-term commitments. Politics also plays a role; as in many big stadium-lease deals, there are layers of government, stakeholders, and financial risk to sort out. The delay in finalizing the deal caused New Orleans to miss the NFL’s bid submission window.

What This Means for Other Cities

With New Orleans sidelined for now, other cities with newer or more certain stadium situations gain a competitive edge. Stadiums that are newly built, fully modern, or have fewer lease or regulatory issues will be more appealing to the NFL. Newer bids may be more attractive even if the cities don’t have as much history hosting big games—what often matters now is certainty, amenities, modern infrastructure, and risk minimization.

Chance of Getting Back in the Game

Despite this setback, there is still hope for New Orleans. Parties involved are reportedly working fast to complete the lease extension. Saints ownership and state officials need to formalize the lease beyond 2030. If they succeed, there is a chance the city could re-open its bid or be considered in future cycles. But the missed deadline cannot be undone. For now, New Orleans is out of the running.

Bigger Picture: What Hosting a Super Bowl Takes

Hosting the Super Bowl is about more than just a big stadium. It’s about infrastructure on all fronts: hotels, transportation, security, local support, and event planning. The NFL wants cities that can deliver not just a stadium, but the entire experience—for teams, fans, media, and sponsors. Long-term leases are part of that picture because they signal stability and commitment from both teams and government. When a stadium’s future is uncertain, it’s a red flag.

The Superdome: Past, Present, Upgrades

The Caesars Superdome is a historic venue, opening in 1975. It’s hosted numerous Super Bowls and has become iconic. Ahead of recent events like Super Bowl LIX in 2025, the Superdome underwent a major renovation worth more than $500 million to ensure its facilities, amenities, and infrastructure met modern standards. That investment shows New Orleans’ desire to stay in the big game conversation. But even great facilities can’t entirely make up for gaps in legal agreements like the lease.

Watching What Comes Next

Stakeholders in New Orleans—team owners, state government, local business leaders, civic organizers—are watching closely. The speed and quality of the lease negotiation will be under the microscope. Also, how the Saints and state engage with the NFL to see if there is any flexibility or if New Orleans can be reconsidered despite missing the initial deadline will matter. Meanwhile, other cities will be sharpening their bids and trying to make sure their paperwork, infrastructure, and legal agreements are all airtight.