The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District Board yesterday “approved a resolution to expand the Wi-Fi network for the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the New Orleans Arena and Champions Square,” according to Albert Burford of the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE. The resolution, which “will allocate $343,200 to fund the expansion, was unanimously approved by the Board.” SMG Senior VP/Stadiums & Arenas Doug Thornton, whose firm manages the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and the New Orleans Arena, said that the plan “would allow the Superdome to join Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium as the only venues in the NFL to offer complete Wi-Fi coverage to patrons.” Lucas Oil Stadium has Wi-Fi technology “in part because it was an initiative for Super Bowl XLVI.” Thornton said that hosting Super Bowl XLVII is "a motivating factor" to improve the Superdome's Wi-Fi system. The Superdome after Hurricane Katrina put $8M "toward a wireless system that focused on hot-spots necessary for ticket scanning, vending and other stadium uses.” With that upgrade, there "were 600 access points installed.” The new expansion plan will “increase that number to around 1,000 access points, providing more coverage” (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 7/18).
