Site is between Saints headquarters and Zephyrs ballpark
Last month, New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson said he plans to build an outdoor stadium that could be used for his team's training camp practices or scrimmages and also be available at other times for high school sports. Capable of holding 5,000 to 6,000 people, the stadium would be located on 10 acres of land between the Saints existing headquarters and the Zephyrs baseball stadium and be ready as soon as 2012.
New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, show here during training camp last summer, has said he would like to add a 5,000- to 6,000-seat stadium near the Saints facility that could also be used by local high schools.Saints spokesman Greg Bensel said Tuesday he did not receive an email asking about Benson's stadium plans.
Others, with a potential interest in using the stadium, say they know nothing about his plans.
"As far as I know, any plans for a stadium at the Saints' practice facility are on hold until Mr. Benson gets a clearer idea of what will happen in the negotiations leading up to the NFL season. That's certainly foremost in his mind.," said Corinne Knight Levy, spokeswoman for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, which has two high schools in Metairie.
Manny Barocco, Jefferson Parish public schools athletic director, said he also has not heard anything about a stadium that could be available soon to local high schools.
Jefferson Parish Councilman Elton Lagasse, whose district includes the site, said he also is unfamiliar with any plans for a stadium next to Zephyr baseball stadium and near the Jefferson Parish Performing Arts Center, now under construction. But if Benson is planning to build a 6,000-seat stadium to be available much of the year to the public, Lagasse said he has some serious issues with the project.
"You've got the Zephyrs and the performing arts building, and now you put a stadium in that same area," Lagasse said. "Man, that is a big problem for parking and for drainage. No one for the Saints has approached me."
Lagasse said if the stadium is to be used only by the Saints, "that's one thing." But a stadium where thousands of people could be regularly driving in and out raises a lot of concerns, he said.
"It brings some infrastructure issues," Lagasse said. "One is parking. Two is getting people in and out.
"And drainage is always a problem in that area. When it rains, that water just seeps in the ground there. What happens when you add all the concrete for a stadium there?"
Saints spokesman Greg Bensel did not return an email requesting comment about the proposed stadium plans.
•••••••
Bob Ross can be reached at rross@timespicayune.com or 504.883.7053.