Saints, the Superdome, and the Scandal, The
Before the Saints were synonymous with New Orleans, Dave Dixon was gathering support to create this dream team and build a Superdome to accommodate them. Offering an insider's perspective on the events that shaped the New Orleans sports scene, Dixon recounts key moments in the city's history.  In an effort to attract the NFL, Dixon undertook the overwhelming and difficult task of desegregating Tulane Stadium in 1963 for a doubleheader featuring the Chicago Bears against the Baltimore Colts. For the first time in Louisiana's history, football was played in front of a mixed crowd to whom seats were sold on a first come, first served basis, regardless of color. This catalyst started the negotiations to bring the Saints to New Orleans.  On November 1, 1966, the Pontchartrain Hotel hosted a press conference during which Pete Rozelle, commissioner of the National Football League, announced that New Orleans would become the sixteenth franchise in the NFL. Ironically, this announcement took place on All Saints' Day.  With a commitment from the NFL and the passage of a constitutional amendment by the people of the state, Dixon set about fulfilling the promise of building the team its own arena. Detailed accounts of key players such as Hale Boggs and John McKeithen reveal the teamwork involved in bringing this dream to reality. Nine years after the NFL announcement, the Louisiana Superdome opened on August 3, 1975, as a 52-acre, 269,000-square-foot home to the New Orleans Saints.  As Dixon reflects on the efforts of these and other individuals who worked so hard, he shares insight on a national scandal that altered our political landscape: the 1968 presidential elections, which dashed the political hopes of John McKeithen, a dear friend and supporter of the Saints.  Filled with history, depth, and emotion, this is the untold story of bringing the Saints and the Superdome to New Orleans.   [Back Flap] Dave Dixon, named one of the "Ten Most Important New Orleanians of the 20th Century" by New Orleans Magazine, is widely known for his time as the executive director of the Louisiana Superdome. He was the founder of the United States Football League (USFL) in 1983 and cofounder of World Championship Tennis. He has served as a member of Loyola University's Board of Trustees and has been a principal speaker to both Harvard University and Stanford University graduate schools of business.