NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The New Orleans Saints have released a statement saying the team has “no issue” with paying its $11.5 million balance for renovations for the Caesars Superdome.
After a Wednesday Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District meeting, the Saints released a statement in response to claims that “the team is not acting in good faith, when, in fact, we feel the opposite is true.”
The Saints’ statement said the organization has made a $200 million commitment to renovating the Superdome and has been regularly communicating with the LSED.
The Saints allege that the team hasn’t been receiving requested documentation regarding payments and “have no issue with making the current payment of $11.5 million or for that matter the remaining balance.”
In response to the Saints, the LSED released a statement saying the organization has provided the Saints with documents required for the Project Development Agreement between the Saints and the LSED for the Superdome renovation and documents detailing invoices, pay requests, change orders and project-related expenses.
The LSED statement also claims the Saints “have not disputed a single invoice or requested any additional documentation relating to a pay request, including the current unpaid invoices totaling $11.4 million.”
The LSED has requested the Saints to be more specific about the documentation referenced in the team’s statement.
Read the full statement from the Saints:
The New Orleans Saints have been and will continue to be great partners with the LSED and State. We are proud of our nearly $200 million commitment we have made to the renovation of the Caesars Superdome to make it one of the best, most iconic stadiums in the world. Representatives of the team have, in good faith, been in regular communications and meetings with representatives of the LSED regarding the stadium project and related matters. We have no issue with making the current payment of $11.5 million or for that matter the remaining balance.
We have however asked for certain documentation over an extended period and we have not received that documentation. Prior to our last payment in December, we requested the documentation, but in good faith we continued to fund. We have been waiting and requesting that documentation since that date and most recently expected it before today’s LSED meeting and yet another timeline has slipped with no explanation or communication of any kind.
We reached out to the LSED on numerous occasions but unfortunately none were returned until Tuesday afternoon. When the satisfactory documentation is provided, a payment will immediately be authorized. Unfortunately, it was disappointing to hear the comments coming out of the LSED meeting today that the team is not acting in good faith, when, in fact, we feel the opposite is true.
We are hopeful that this matter can be resolved expeditiously as any delay would be very unfortunate for all parties [and for the City].
New Orleans Saints
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