"Is the Superdome done?" by Kelly Brinker-Schaeffer

SMG, the Lousianna Stadium, and Exposition District, are forming a damage assessment team to examine the Superdome and find out whether the stadium can be salvaged. Thornton, SMG regional vice-president, is also homeless due to Katrina. He talks about the devastation and increasingly poor conditions he witnessed at the superdome between, death, rapes, and theft. Because of medical waste and human waste the architects and engineers won’t be able to get in the dome for about three weeks after the water was been drained. It is estimated that at least 80 percent of the stadium will need to be replaced. The roof itself could cost almost 6 million dollars. The SMG regional vice president stated, “I think the stadium can be rehabilitated sometime by the first quarter of 2006, if not sooner.” One good aspect is that the New Orleans arena home of the Hornets did not suffer nearly as much damage as the superdome.