New Orleans Saints

I'm a big Saints fan, been watching the team since 1967, and the Saints are good for the state. Read the story below about the Saints wanting to resume talks with the state is most probably a ploy by Benson to sell more season tickets. Us, in Louisiana, will just have to wait and see what takes places, between out not so-intelligent Governor, and Benson.

Tom Benson wants to resume negotiations with the state, possibly by the end of the summer, on a deal to keep the National Football League team in Louisiana.Saints executive vice president Arnold Fielkow said he had no comment about any upcoming meetings. He said Blanco and Benson met a few weeks ago."At the appropriate time, we look forward to having an opportunity to continue to discuss ways to ensure the Saints receive a long-term agreement," Fielkow said.The two sides are looking at resuming negotiations in August or September, said Denise Bottcher, a spokeswoman for Gov. Kathleen Blanco. Benson broke off talks on April 27, saying he wanted to concentrate on the upcoming NFL season.Bottcher said Benson requested and received a June 17 meeting with Blanco at Saints headquarters in Metairie."It was a very friendly meeting," Bottcher said. "Mr. Benson expressed a strong desire to stay in New Orleans, and the governor expressed a strong desire to make that affordable for the state."Fielkow confirmed the June meeting.Under the team's existing agreement with the state, the Saints can cancel the contract and move from New Orleans after this season, but Benson would have to pay the state about $81 million in penalties. The state can opt out of the contract in 2008 without paying penalties.The contract calls for the state to pay the team $186.5 million from 2002 through 2011, a deal negotiated by former Gov. Mike Foster and one that Blanco says the state cannot afford.The state has had to borrow $15 million two years in a row to make the annual payments to the team because revenue from the hotel-motel tax in Orleans and Jefferson parishes has not met its projected revenue to finance the deal.---Information from: The Times-Picayune.