The Saints have agreed to contribute $25M toward "fan amenity upgrades in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, marking the most significant private contribution Tom Benson has made to the state-owned venue since owning the team," according to Terrance Harris of the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE. The funds "will go primarily toward improving the video boards and audio system" in the Superdome. The stadium "will have much larger state-of-the-art video boards behind both end zones." SMG, which manages both the Superdome and the Smoothie King Center, is contributing $5M "toward installing a state-of-the-art video board in the Smoothie King Center that could stretch as long as foul line to foul line." Saints and Pelicans President Dennis Lauscha said, "It's going to be one of the larger boards in the NBA." Harris reported the Superdome's videoboard upgrades "will not be complete" until the '16 NFL season, but the Smoothie King Center's upgrade "will be complete in time" for the '15-16 NBA season. A state-of-the-art HD video room "will service both venues." Lauscha and SMG Exec VP/Stadiums & Arenas Doug Thornton said that the "primary reason behind the investments" was fan surveys. They added that the upgrades "will make the Superdome more competitive with other venues" in its efforts to host the Super Bowls, Final Fours and CFP Championships (NOLA.com, 4/21). In Baton Rouge, Ted Lewis reports the Superdome videoboards will be "more versatile in what they can display, including fantasy football stats." The bids for the videoboards "have yet to be advertised." Along with the videoboards, the Saints’ contribution "will cover improvements to the audio system of the Superdome and to suites, the concourses and visitor’s dressing rooms" (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 4/22).
