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First, I hope you don't mind hearing from someone who has never lived in Louisiana. Second, Governor, I hope you will understand by reading these letters/posts just how important the NEW ORLEANS Saints are, not just to the citizens of Louisiana, but to people all over the United States. I was a lifelong Washington Redskins fan, as they were the closest team to North Carolina, where I was living at the time, and the one we got on TV every Sunday. In the early 1980's my father lost his job, and he ended up moving us to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where his new job was located. The first football season-1983-he took me to a Saints game against the Miami Dolphins. The Saints won 17-7 and little did I know, but the seed was planted!!! For the last 21 years I have followed the Saints. I can remember pulling over on the side of Hwy 90 in Biloxi listening to the Saints play the Dallas Cowboys, only to lose in the final seconds. While I was in the hospital with Meningitis, it was the Saints that got me through.........I even requested a special trip to the breakroom down the hall so I could see a bigger TV..........the nurses understood why. I moved a few more times, to California, Florida and have ended up in Georgia. The one constant has been the Saints! I am in the heart of Atlanta Falcons country and the one day I look forward to is the Saints-Falcons game here. I love going to the Georgia Dome wearing my Black & Gold!!!!!! Since I have moved from the Gulf Coast, I have returned to New Orleans not for Mardi Gras, not for Jazzfest but for one thing......THE SAINTS!!!!!!!!! In 2004 I attended 3 games in New Orleans, along with the Atlanta game and the season finale in Charlotte. I would not do this if the Saints moved to Los Angeles. My point is, alot of money comes into New Orleans to see the Saints. Alot of people where I work say they look forward to going to New Orleans to see the Saints-Falcons game..........they make a long weekend out of it.........and get rental cars, hotel rooms, and alot of food and drink!!! All of this would not be coming into New Orleans if it weren't for the Saints. If I could, I would attend more games. I love the idea of a new stadium, maybe an outdoor one near the river with a grass field, a Saints store, and the Saints Hall of Fame all combined(oh yeah.......along with the Green Bay Packers, the SAINTS are the only other NFL team to have a dedicated Hall of Fame!!). While this new outdoor stadium may not happen, it is imperitive that the Saints remain in New Orleans. While the Gulf South region is one of the most economically depressed in the country, it is, by far, one of the least depressing to visit. The atmosphere of the Saints and the Dome are a HUGE part of this. I urge you Governor, to do the right thing and get the Saints a long-term, if not permanent deal, to remain in New Orleans for generations..........well after we are long gone. GO SAINTS!!!
Steve H
Atlanta, Ga

Dear Ms. Blanco,

You need to realize the economic importance of the team. If you believe spending state funds is not good will you promise that those funds will go to education and street improvements. As a native Louisianian, explain to me how you will make up for the lost tax money from a fourtune 500 (Saints) company. Do you really think the city and the state can economically and politically efford to lose more jobs? That's right that includes the players, coaches, and support people especially those who will not relocate with the team.

Are ready to lose players, coaches, and upper management personal that purchase luxary items that help keep those companies in operation. If your hardball tactics is the cause of the Saints leaving, are you prepared to be recorded in LA history as the Governor that lost a humongus Louisiana and Gulf Coast tradition that was a very important part of the area's culture.

You need to realize the great damage culturally and socially that will be done to Southeast La and the Gulf Coast. As the former tourism leader for the state, how will you begin to replace the FREE advertisement that NFL produces during Saints games, the money that is made on all levels in the New Orleans Metropolitian during the games and the ocassional Superbowl, and are going to bail out those vendors in the Dome that operate during the games.

Conceptor
Houston, TX
Born in New Orleans

I wish that Governor Blanco would understand just how much the Saints impact our state from both a financial and an emotional standpoint. To lose them would be an absolute travesty. It would be just another economically successful business leaving our city. While people gripe that our schools and roads should be fixed before anything else, what they don't understand is that successful businesses and money is what it takes for these said things to be fixed. How will taxes benefit the improvement of these things if there's no people left to pay these taxes? Every year we lose money by fortune 500 companies moving to Texas, Atlanta et al. And every year people from the New Orleans area move away. What will eventually be left is nothing but welfare using/starved people with no jobs available to them... this will undoubtedly result in a huge hit on tourism and the money it generates. Keeping the Saints would be the first step in the direction against that. While the payments of the renovations may ask the state for financial aid for a given time, in the long run it will benefit the state and the city of New Orleans (which is the icon of La). The Saints have been an integral part of Louisiana sports for almost 40 years, and to wave goodbye to them would be a huge mistake. I urge the people of Louisiana and the citizens of New Orleans to realize how important the Saints are to us and to fight for their preservation in Louisiana. I also urge the state officials to understand how important it is to keep them, and do what it takes to assure that they remain in New Orleans.

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