The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District's monthly board meeting was Thursday. Leading off the meeting was ASM Global Vice President Douglas Thornton, who had good news to report about the District's finances:
“Our finances continue to improve,” Thornton began. “Just looking at the hotel tax projections, it looks like we’re going to finish the year considerably above our forecast and we’re going to be above the 2019 levels.”
Those pre-pandemic levels amounted to $33 million in gross revenue in 2019. The LSED is also on the verge of wrapping up the Superdome renovations with Thornton stating his recent review of the dome's interior is completely different from the way it was originally configured.
“It’s pretty impressive. I think fans are going to be really, really when they come in and see what’s been done in those atria lobbies. The Club level is just completely different than what it was before. And most of all the terrace, the concourses are super wide now.”
Thornton went on to describe how the venue is moving toward completely autonomous marketing in its food stores and refreshment areas inside the dome. The streamlining of the checkout stands takes advantage of customers predominantly using debit cards to pay for their purchases.
“You can start to see the markets that are taking place, the way that we’re going to deliver concessions will be different. So, things are progressing very well with the renovation.”
Thornton says most of these new features will be ready in time for the Essence Festival to be held at the Superdome in late June.
