Jim Justice, owner of The Greenbrier resort, on Thursday confirmed that the Saints "will split their 2014 training camp" between the team's practice facility in Metairie, La., and the resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., according to Cam Huffman of the Beckley REGISTER-HERALD. Justice said that the three-year agreement, "which he will fund, calls for the construction of three football fields -- two with natural grass and one with artificial turf -- as well as a 55,000-square-foot facility that includes training rooms, lockers for 90 players, showers, dining areas and more." That construction will "have to be completed by May 10." Saints players will "stay at rooms in the resort." Saints coach Sean Payton served as golfer Ryan Palmer's caddie during the PGA Tour Greenbrier Classic last July. Justice said that he had "previously tried to attract" the Redskins, but he "began a dialogue with Payton during The Greenbrier Classic, and after months of discussions ... the plan became a reality this week" (Beckley REGISTER-HERALD, 3/14). In New Orleans, Larry Holder noted the "last time the Saints spent a significant portion of training camp away from the Metairie facility" was in '08, when the team "held the vast majority of camp in Jackson, Miss., at Millsaps College." The Saints trained a total of three seasons in Jackson from '06-08. The Saints also "spent a week in Oxnard, Calif.," leading up to an '11 preseason game with the Raiders (NOLA.com, 3/13).
