CNN: Breaking News Banner: Superdome likely to be torn down

[Joebert]

News to come...

www.cnn.com

Banner text:

Louisiana Superdome, where thousands were stranded after Katrina, is likely to be torn down, state official tells CNN. More soon

[Connie_Corleone]

1. It should be.

But, not until Bush stays in there for 6 days.

[watercolors]

4. You beat to that one

my thoughts too, but I'd like to see lots his thugs with him!

[Moloch]

68. I'd rather stick him in there with people who were

affected by the disaster for six days so they can give him a piece of their mind!

[enid602]

5. OK

I think he should have to clean it with a toothbrush.

[MADem]

58. A little bit of bootcamp for the AWOL guardsman!!! n/t

[Mass]

6. and they should send Barbara B. to spend a few days in the Astrodrome.

[merci_me]

16. Screw that!!!

Those people don't deserve to have to have her there. She already polluted the air there yesterday.

Let her go back to Maine and take her sociopath family with her. Then build a dome over it, a sea around it and start slowly squeezing the oxygen out.

God, I didn't think I could hate them anymore than I did, but in the past week, my throat starts to feel like I'm going to actually choke at the sight of them. I have never in my life felt this kind of hate for anyone.

[anitar1]

37. Babs with a mop. n/t

[donheld]

15. No! Tell him he has to stay there for 6 days

Then start tearing it down after 3 days. With him still inside.

[koopie57]

33. how about sticking bush

in the dome and don't tell him how to get out. Tell him there is food and water right outside the building. All he has to do is figure out how to get out on his own.

and then keep sending reporters in to ask him how he feels and that food and water and help will be coming.

[rkc3]

54. Have the military force him to stay at gunpoint - for his safety.

[ktowntennesseedem]

80. beat me to it!

but I opted to wait until day 5; give him plenty of time to enjoy the stentch.

[KamaAina]

20. Bring his Poppy in there with him!

The ultimate irony is that the Superdome was the seat of Poppy's 1988 coronation, the beginning of the Bush** Dynasty that will shortly be imploding.

[ktowntennesseedem]

79. Then I recommend we tear it down on day 5.

:evilgrin:

[stevedeshazer]

2. I'm so pissed right now I think I could tear it down myself. n/t

[cybildisobedience]

24. me too

I feel like I could tear it down with my teeth.

[Joebert]

My worry

Who actually owns it?

Is somebody going to get a Federally paid for new stadium?

[JoZbean]

78. Who actually owns it?

"The NFL franchise is a private enterprise that isn't "maintained" by the city. The franchise has been losing money for years and is close to relocating to OC believe it or not. The city owns the Superdome and the Saints pay them rent, which I'd guess is not a lot — I'm sure Saints' owner Tom Benson gets a huge break for providing jobs at concession stands and parking lots. No question the local economy is better with the Saints than without them, but it's one large size business, likely generating no more money for city coffers than a Wal*Mart or factory."

http://www.airbagindustries.com/archives/008040.php

Airbag, Greg Storey from Orange County, California

[hippiechick]

3. Nice, so the fed will toss $300B at a new dome ...

... and then turn around and say they can't afford any state infrastructure programs ...

:mad:

[Jack from Charlotte]

14. Exactly. The locals will push it's destruction in order to get The US

to buy them a new stadium. It'll cost nearly $500 million. Who cares? What's another half billion on the debt pile The AWOL/Moron is pileing up?

[TheDonkey]

22. Yep, the superdome was old and unliked and this is a perfect opp for $$$$!

at the local, state, and federal level.

[FightingIrish]

7. I'd like to see a replica of the Roman Colosseum where we

could watch members of the current administration eaten by rats and alligators.

[VegasWolf]

13. I would like to see the fundies thrown to the lions. nt

[DawgHouse]

74. I like this idea the best! NT

[punpirate]

8. I wonder who's insuring it...

... and what they have to say about that?

[Merlot]

9. I was just thinking they would have to tear it down

just watched Oprah where she insisted on seeing inside of it. It's disgusting, and they would never be able to get the stench of death or the memories out of it.


edit:spelling

[Lars39]

10. Getting rid of the crime scene pretty quick, aren't they?

Should have expected it.

[goforit]

31. Just like the WTC!!!!...Wouldn't be surprised if they blew up the levee.

Forgive my wild ideas...but I wouldn't put it past this administration.

They are driving me nuts!!

[NYC]

52. Yes, they are.

They can ship it overseas with the World Trade evidence.

[HoosierClarkie]

57. my thoughts exactly!

[Megahurtz]

64. That was exactly my thought. n/t

[Guava Jelly]

11. how about a KATRINA MUSEUM ??

Turn that dome into a reminder of what happens when people are forgotten

[achtung_circus]

12. Kick. nt

[wrate]

17. Who's constructing the new one, Halliburton by any chance? n/t

[wallwriter]

18. Can't find the story, but I'd like to know

amid all the destroyed homes, the toxic waste, the ruined infrastructure, etc., why a f***ing sports stadium is a high priority?

Is it because former ball club owner Bush knows that you can soak the public for a few hundred million in taxes without batting an eyelash?

[jody]

19. It will be and a bigger one built with government funds. n/t

[pitohui]

27. good

as for those who resent us having something rebuilt that is not a bad memory & which will provide jobs & a future, think again

the feds owe us

fucking big time

they can't give us back the lives

& they must pay a price or this will happen again

[LeftyMom]

32. A sports stadium is a poor economic engine

Since most of the jobs it creates are minimum wage part-time stuff like parking attendants, ticket takers, concession stand worker, stair-climbing hotdog guy, etc. The people who make the good money are the athletes, the concert promoters, etc and they could pack up and leave at any time. Usually the gov't winds up losing a bundle on them, and at best you get a decent football team and some recreation a few sundays a week out of it. NOLA got the superbowl a lot and I'm sure that generated quite a bit of money, but how long will it be until the city's hotel industry is rehabbed enough to play host again?

That money could create many more jobs if it was more wisely spent, or it could restore a lot of housing. Either one would do more for the city's long term health, I imagine.

Whether relocating the Saints (which, I understand was already a possiblity pre-Katrina) would be a blow to the city's morale, I have no idea. Probably it'd be less of a blow if they were playing in Baton Rouge than in San Antonio or Los Angeles.

[420inTN]

62. Re: they must pay a price or this will happen again

Unfortunately, any price "paid" by the government is ultimately paid by you and I.

[progressivebydesign]

21. I expected that.

Makes sense for health and for emotional reasons. That place can never be inhabited again.

[Angry Girl]

23. They said that about Abu Ghraib too....

Nightweed's Hurricane Katrina Aid Organizations

[daleo]

34. My thought too

The first thought is get rid of the scene of the crime. Bush and the Republicans don't want the constant reminder of their failure there for the world to see. That's all this really is, as far as I can see.

[pitohui]

25. maybe it should be

it was never right

& now it is the symbol of so much grief & anguish that could trigger horrible memories for decades to come for the survivors

would it ever be a place where we could enjoy a mindless night out again, i just don't know

[doc03]

26. Just last night I heard someone on MSM say the Superdome

was structurally sound. Amazing what 24 hours can do.

[Saphire]

60. I think it is structurally sound, it's just what's inside that can't be

repaired. Plus, I think it's also the memory of what went on in there. I say, tear it down and put up a marker in it's place. I just hope that they will build a new shelter specifically for hurricane relief.

[KamaAina]

28. I always thought of the Saints' end zone as the "sacred ground"

especially the one with the black-and-gold Saints logo (the other had Tulane's Green Wave). Thus, the object of the game (not often realized) became to keep the invading hordes from trespassing on the sacred ground.

I could never imagine that it would one day become actual sacred ground! I am also hearing that it was built on the site of a cemetery; what kind of New Orleanians came up with that brilliant plan?!

[Olney Blue]

29. It can never be used for a joyous occasion again.

Tear it down and build a city park, and a memorial to the people who died in this epic tragedy.

[texanwitch]

36. I totally agree, a memorial to the people.

[goforit]

30. To hide all the evidence??? Wait till after investigation!!!

[BiggJawn]

35. How old is it?

The Hoosier Dome-cum-RCA Dome is onlyy about 20 years old, yet Jimmy Irsay has twisted the arms of the good people of Indianapolis to give him a new playground for the millionaire entertainers who work for him...

The Simon Bros got Goldsmythe to build a new fieldhouse for Reggie to replace the 25-y-o "Aging and decrepit" Market Square Arena...

At least NOLA has a better reason than the lame "Eh, the carpet's stained..." excuse these team owners give for wanting new domes.

[high density]

39. The Superdome was opened in 1975

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superdome

[BiggJawn]

40. Oh, those POOR Saints!

Having to play in a 30-y-o shanty! Yeah, they NEED a new dome...
:sarcasm:

[CityDem]

67. No new stadium

I do not want federal funds to support the construction of a $500 million sports facility that will benefit wealthy team owners and overpaid football players. Let the private sector fund this boondoggle.

[SoCalDem]

71. Even the "poorest" teams have the money to build their own

By getting the locals to build their "home", they are little more than "gazillionaire renters", with the "landlord" taking all the risks. They get a burr under their saddle and threaten to move, leaving the landlord stuck with a huge building that's unusable, and terribly expensive to maintain.. They can then extort the cvity for all kinds of "goodies"...The jobs they provide are not "familoy-supporting" jobs, as a rule..

If a team OWNS its stadium and has wagered their own money, they are far more likely to treat their home-city better, and not threaten to move every few years..

[sipnsail]

38. Big companies in NO buying real estate?

This is an email to my parents from friends in Baton Rouge:

Thanks for your interest. Our house in B.R. came through ok and we are thankful for that. My brother recently moved back to B.R. and he came through ok. He has one son that lives near Gonzales and he only lost power. His son from N.O. came up river road with his family and in-laws and are staying with my brother. They found out yesterday that their two houses in N.O. did not flood. He is trying to rent or buy office space and houses for his law firm to operate out of and to live. The big companies are buying up everything that is available!

[NYC]

53. Thanks, sipnsail.

We need to keep track of this sort of thing.

Welcome to DU. :hi:

[kskiska]

41. The Saints will most likely move to San Antonio anyway.

I read where they've been wanting to. This will be the excuse.

[theboss]

51. The NFL does not want that

It loves NO as a Super Bowl city and for some reason does not seem to want a team in SA.

[NorthernSpy]

42. ... and it's just another rumor, according to the Superdome's operator!

http://www.lex18.com/Global/story.asp?S=3814870:

NEW ORLEANS The operator of the Louisiana Superdome says talk of tearing down the stadium is "purely conjecture and speculation."

Doug Thornton says the building was damaged during Hurricane Katrina but it's structurally intact.

'Cause there's always room for more rumors!

It's not your fault, Joebert! It's just that the mainstream media seem to have given up on the very notion of verifying the "facts" that appear in their stories.

[Joebert]

49. Verify? You must be mad!

I wonder if we'll ever get back to a time where reputable sources are verified.

They verify and reverify, and never report on anything big business does. But they'll rush out any rumor about the competition. "It turns out that John Kerry causes herpes when within 20 miles." Um, do you have independant verification of this? "Nope, but it's from a senior White House official."


Back on the dome, I'm seeing reports of $100M damages so far. They'll get their new stadium. The city gets SuperBowls every so many years. Too much big money involved.

[Danmel]

43. How could any one go there ever again and have fun?

Just the thought of what happened there makes the place unusable. (I suppose that is if you have a soul- I imagine Bush could throw a big gala fundraiser there once it's cleaned up and all those pesky poor black folk are removed.)

[maxsolomon]

44. Pressure Washing could clean it up just fine

The roof is damaged, so what? The Kingdome roof was repaired at a cost of $30 million JUST BEFORE IT WAS DEMOLISHED.

This is a ploy to get a new stadium as the Superdome is a fascist, brutalist POS.

The best thing that could happen to America is the death of the NFL. OK, 2nd best, after *'s impeachment.

[blueintenn]

45. Hold on now.

I spent a sizable portion of my youth growing up in the Quarter and have fond memories of my beloved 'Aints'. A common flier to be found around town was "Will the lady who left her eleven kids at the Superdome please pick them up? They are beating the Saints 42-0."

Why come down on the NFL? If it has to do with owners holding up their towns for new stadiums, then let the local governance deal with that. Or maybe that's not your beef. Anyway, I didn't understand your comment. And it doesn't matter much anyway. I'm in Tennessee now and there's no way in hell we're ever getting a team. :(

BIT

[confludemocrat]

47. trial balloon, not gonna happen (n/t)

[maxsolomon]

55. The NFL is modern gladiatorial games for the plebian class.

I loved my Bengals back in the 80's, but now the NFL leaves me cold. Let the Saints leave for SA. NO would be better without them. No more taxpayer gouging to pay for millionaire players & the billionaire owners.

ITS 8 GAMES A YEAR. is that worth 500 million dollars?

[blueintenn]

56. It is if the taxpayers want it.

Shouldn't the taxpayers decide? Entertainment is a part of life too. Not to mention all the merchandising, TV revenues, jobs created, etc. NFL doesn't exist in a vacuum.

I almost corrected you on your "8 games" comment by mentioning playoff possibilities, but then I remembered we were talking about the Bengals and the Aints. ;-)

BIT

[maxsolomon]

70. the "taxpayers" elected george bush

at some point, the elected officials must demonstrate fiscal & cultural responsibility beyond "a football team will be fun". yours is the same argument that the emporer used to justify gladiator games - the proles want it. pane e circenses.

is it better for a populace to PLAY sports, or WATCH sports?

[blueintenn]

77. They are not mutually exclusive

The populace can both play and watch sports. I love football, high-school, college, pro. Heck, I'll watch women's football if it ever gets off the ground.

Again, personal feelings about gladiator games and whatnot should not enter into the equation. Economic studies as to the impact of an NFL team should be solicited by the interested municipalities and then they should decide how best to proceed.

To dissolve a very real and integral part of America's sports history merely because it has the potential to be wasteful is shortsighted and will certainly not win us any elections in any region.

Of course this is all mental gymanstics. The NFL is going nowhere. It is one of the few sports organizations that is run somewhat efficiently. MLB is the one that people better rally around if they want to save it. Hell, sometimes I think the Iraq war is better planned than MLB. :shrug:

BIT

[maxsolomon]

82. a populace CAN, but largely does not

the percentage of adults who are active, let alone participate in any sport regularly, is pitiful.

i have no illusions that anything but sustained apathy could kill the NFL, the NBA, or MLB. certainly i'd never make their destruction the centerpiece of an election campaign.

but i will shed no tears for the Superdome, nor will i feel anything but joy for NO if they lose the Aints to SA.

[Tight_rope]

75. LOl....I totally agree...NFL was only about big money anyway!

[atomic-fly]

46. FREEDOM DOME!

Maybe Halliburton will build a Freedom Dome!
I'm so sick of this crap.

[confludemocrat]

48. trial balloon, not gonna happen (n/t)

[theboss]

50. Tom Benson is finally going to get his wish

The NFL wants NO as a Super Bowl spot (at least they did before this) and now they will probably get federal funds to build the stadium.

[Arkansas Granny]

59. This would be a perfect time for it. With the new eminent

domain legislation, look at all the land that will be available to them at rock bottom prices to build a new one. Why, that land must be practically worthless right about now. A better opportunity will never exist. (Heavy sarcasm)

[RageFist]

61. That's crazy... n/t

[shance]

63. Twin Towers anyone?

n/t

[Megahurtz]

65. Sounds like part of The Big Cover Up.

They don't want anyone to see what these people had to live through.
Pretty sneaky if you ask me.

[darkism]

66. Good. Tear down the convention center too.

Put them back up in the same spots, with different designs.

Too much suffering happened in the buildings as they are now to leave them standing.


...but only after the investigation is complete.

[Psephos]

69. They used to auction slaves in the Quarter...

...and that history of misery didn't stop the Quarter from becoming Party Central in later times. Last time I checked, the Coliseum in Rome wasn't wanting for attention, either.

Spray the dome with Clorox and refurbish the interior to like-new. Every dollar spent on a new stadium is a dollar not spent on something else that's more important.

Peace.

[TankLV]

72. Can we make sure every fucking criminal starting with bunkerboy is first

forced inside before they implode it? Plus all REPUKE members of congress and local and state jurisdictions?

Just want to make sure we excize the cancer from our country!

[yellowcanine]

73. You mean like they tore down Abu Graib Prison? Whatever.

[henslee]

76. The designers of the superdome are also responsible for some

of the most notoriously demoralizing prisons.

[Borgnine]

81. Fuck that.

The Superdome should be turned into a prison, where Bush, Brownie, Cheney, Rumsfield, Condi, Karl, and the whole gang will serve life sentences.