If you have ever watched the New Orleans Saints play, seen the chaos of Mardi Gras festivities spill into a Super Bowl weekend, or followed the extraordinary story of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, you have already encountered the Caesars Superdome.
It is one of the most recognizable buildings in American sports — a giant white dome rising dramatically above the New Orleans skyline. But who actually owns it? The answer involves the State of Louisiana, a 20-year naming rights deal with a casino giant, and a family that runs the most famous football franchise in the city’s history.
Who Owns the Superdome in 2026?
The Caesars Superdome is owned by the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District (LSED) — a state government agency of Louisiana. This means the building itself is owned by the people of Louisiana, through their state government. It is not privately owned, not owned by the New Orleans Saints, and not owned by Caesars Entertainment — despite what the name on the building might suggest.
The naming rights deal is entirely separate from ownership. In July 2021, the New Orleans Saints and Caesars Entertainment announced a 20-year exclusive naming-rights partnership that rebranded the stadium as the Caesars Superdome. Caesars pays for the right to put its name on the building — but the state of Louisiana owns every brick, beam, and blade of turf inside it.
Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Party | Role | Stake / Position | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District (LSED) | Legal Owner | 100% ownership of the building | State government agency of Louisiana; owns the Superdome outright |
| State of Louisiana | Government Principal | Ultimate ownership authority | Funded original construction in 1975 and all subsequent renovations |
| Caesars Entertainment | Naming Rights Partner | No ownership | 20-year naming rights deal signed July 2021; pays for the Caesars name |
| New Orleans Saints | Primary Tenant | No ownership | Home tenant since 1975; Saints sold naming rights to Caesars in 2021 |
| Gayle Benson | Owner of New Orleans Saints | No ownership of building | Inherited Saints ownership from husband Tom Benson in 2018 |
| ASM Global | Stadium Operator / Manager | No ownership | Manages day-to-day operations of the Superdome on behalf of the state |
| SMG / Superdome Commission | Previous Manager | Exited | Former management company; replaced by ASM Global |
The Origin Story: A Vision That Took Decades
The Caesars Superdome did not happen overnight. It was the result of decades of lobbying, legislative battles, and one man’s unshakeable belief that New Orleans deserved a world-class domed stadium.
The vision for a domed stadium in New Orleans began in the mid-1960s with local businessman Dave Dixon, who believed that building such a facility could secure an NFL franchise for the region.
On November 8, 1966, the Louisiana Legislature approved legislation to construct the stadium — and seven days later, the NFL awarded New Orleans an expansion team, the Saints. Construction began in August 1971 and was completed in August 1975, with the stadium opening on September 28, 1975 as the Louisiana Superdome.
The building was designed by the New Orleans modernist architectural firm of Curtis and Davis. At the time of its completion, it was the largest fixed-roof stadium in the world — a record it held for years.
The Many Names of the Superdome
Most people know it as the Superdome — but the building has worn several different names over its 50-year history, each reflecting a different commercial relationship.
From 1975 to 2011, it was simply the Louisiana Superdome — named for the state that owns it. In 2011, naming rights were sold for the first time, and it became the Mercedes-Benz Superdome — a partnership that lasted through 2021.
Then in July 2021, Caesars Entertainment struck its landmark 20-year deal with the New Orleans Saints, and the stadium took on its current name: the Caesars Superdome.
The 20-year Caesars deal was announced jointly by Saints owner Gayle Benson and Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg. Under the 2009 lease agreement between the Saints and the State of Louisiana, the team was granted the right to sell naming rights to the Superdome — eliminating state subsidies to the team. So while the state owns the building, the Saints control the commercial naming rights within it.
The $450 Million Renovation
In recent years, the Caesars Superdome has undergone one of the most significant renovation projects in American sports venue history.
The Superdome, in a partnership between the Saints, the State of Louisiana, and the Superdome Commission, underwent a $450 million renovation that positioned the stadium as one of the world’s premier sports and entertainment venues.
The renovation updated seating, technology infrastructure, premium hospitality areas, and the playing surface — bringing a building from 1975 into the modern era without losing any of its iconic character.
This renovation directly contributed to New Orleans being awarded Super Bowl LIX, which was played at the Caesars Superdome in February 2025 — the ninth Super Bowl hosted by the building. No other venue in NFL history has hosted more Super Bowls than the Superdome.
For comparison, other major American sports ownership stories follow similarly complex government-team-sponsor structures — much like who owns TGL and who owns NASCAR, where venue ownership, branding rights, and operational control belong to completely separate parties.
Who Is Gayle Benson — The Saints Owner Who Controls the Building’s Name?
Understanding who owns the Superdome also means understanding who controls its commercial future — and that is Gayle Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints.
Gayle Benson inherited ownership of the Saints from her late husband Tom Benson, who passed away in March 2018. Tom Benson had owned the Saints since 1985 and had fought famously to keep the team in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 nearly caused the franchise to relocate permanently.
Under the 2009 lease agreement, the Saints hold the right to sell naming rights — meaning Gayle Benson’s organization controls who puts their name on the building, even though the State of Louisiana owns it.
The Saints and the State maintain a long-term lease arrangement that keeps the franchise playing at the Superdome well into the future. For a deeper look at sports team ownership structures, see who owns Fulham FC and who owns Fanatics.
Caesars Entertainment: The Name on the Door
Caesars Entertainment is the largest gaming and hospitality company in America, operating over 50 resorts across the U.S. under brands including Caesars, Harrah’s, Horseshoe, and Eldorado. Its current CEO is Tom Reeg.
Caesars has a significant presence in New Orleans beyond just the stadium naming rights. Caesars New Orleans — formerly Harrah’s New Orleans — is a 450-room casino hotel located at 228 Poydras Street, just a short walk from the Superdome.
It is the only land-based casino in the state of Louisiana. The combination of the casino and the stadium naming rights makes Caesars the single most visible commercial brand in downtown New Orleans sports and entertainment.
The 20-year deal signed in July 2021 represents a multi-hundred-million-dollar commitment by Caesars to the New Orleans market. The exact financial terms were not publicly disclosed, but industry analysts estimate the deal is worth well over $10 million per year in naming rights fees paid to the Saints organization.
The Superdome’s Place in American History
The Caesars Superdome is not just a football stadium. It is one of the most historically significant buildings in the United States — a venue that has witnessed both great celebration and extraordinary tragedy.
The Superdome has hosted nine Super Bowls — more than any other venue in NFL history. It has hosted major college football championships, NCAA Final Four basketball tournaments, WrestleMania, major boxing matches, and some of the biggest concerts in American music history.
But the building’s most historically significant moment came in August 2005, when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the Superdome became a shelter of last resort for approximately 30,000 people who had no way to evacuate the city.
The images of the damaged dome roof and the suffering inside became some of the most iconic and heartbreaking photographs of that disaster. The building sustained significant damage but was rebuilt — and reopened on September 25, 2006, when the Saints played their first home game back in New Orleans in an emotionally charged return that became one of the most memorable moments in NFL history.
The Superdome contributes close to $600 million in annual economic impact to the state of Louisiana, according to figures cited by Greater New Orleans, Inc. For a building owned by a state government, that economic footprint is extraordinary.
Key Facts About the Caesars Superdome
The Caesars Superdome is located at 1500 Sugar Bowl Drive, New Orleans, Louisiana. It has a seating capacity of 76,468 for NFL games, an artificial FieldTurf playing surface, and a fixed roof that covers a total floor area of approximately 52 acres. It opened on September 28, 1975 and has served as the home of the New Orleans Saints ever since — making 2025 the team’s 50th season playing in the building.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns the Caesars Superdome in 2026?
The Caesars Superdome is owned by the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District (LSED), a state government agency of Louisiana.
Q2. Does Caesars Entertainment own the Superdome?
No. Caesars Entertainment only holds the naming rights through a 20-year deal signed in July 2021 — the building is owned by the State of Louisiana.
Q3. Do the New Orleans Saints own the Superdome?
No. The Saints are the primary tenant under a long-term lease and hold the right to sell naming rights — but the building itself belongs to the state of Louisiana.
Q4. When did the Superdome open?
The Caesars Superdome — then called the Louisiana Superdome — officially opened on September 28, 1975, designed by architectural firm Curtis and Davis.
Q5. How many Super Bowls has the Superdome hosted?
The Caesars Superdome has hosted nine Super Bowls — more than any other single venue in NFL history, including Super Bowl LIX in February 2025.
Q6. How much is the Superdome’s naming rights deal worth?
Caesars Entertainment signed a 20-year exclusive naming rights deal in July 2021. The exact value is undisclosed, but industry estimates place it at over $10 million per year.
Q7. Who manages the Superdome day-to-day?
ASM Global, a professional venue management company, handles the day-to-day operations of the Caesars Superdome on behalf of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District.
Q8. Who is the owner of the New Orleans Saints?
Gayle Benson is the owner of the New Orleans Saints, having inherited the franchise from her late husband Tom Benson in March 2018.
The Caesars Superdome is owned by the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District (LSED) — a state government agency. The State of Louisiana has owned this building since it opened in 1975. Caesars Entertainment holds a 20-year naming rights deal signed in July 2021 — they pay to put their name on it, but they do not own it.
The New Orleans Saints, owned by Gayle Benson, are the primary tenant under a long-term lease and hold the contractual right to sell naming rights. ASM Global manages day-to-day operations on behalf of the state.
From its origins in a 1966 legislative vote to its nine Super Bowls, its role as a shelter during Hurricane Katrina, and its $450 million renovation into a world-class facility — the Caesars Superdome is as much a piece of Louisiana history as it is a sports venue. And as long as the state owns it, it belongs to every resident of Louisiana.