New Orleans Bowl coming to Acadiana

[AirBill]

Where I live, some people are trying to make the Edward Jones dome available for the Sugar Bowl. Here's what I thought of that:

http://forums.stltoday.com/viewtopic...light=#2815147


Granted, this isn't exactly the same situation. At least if it's held at Cajun Field, it'll be in the same state. Plus, the New Orleans Bowl just ain't the Sugar Bowl.

But, I think it would serve everyone here well to keep in mind why the New Orleans bowl would be held at Cajun Field. It would be great for Lafayette, but at the same time it would only be there because of a tragedy.

Just my $.02.

[DaddyCajun]

Dr A said early Friday morning that this coming Tuesday the New Orleans bowl people and Wright Waters are coming to town and if they are able to work out some details then the New Orleans Bowl would be played in Lafayette at least the next two years!


Also, Wright Waters has put his name in the hat for the Louisiana A.D. position!!


DaddyCajun!

[DaddyCajun]

Turbine, were you able to get a pic of the field prior to the game?


DaddyCajun

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - Lafayette and Cajun Field could be very close to hosting the fifth annual Wyndham New Orleans Bowl, pending the outcome of a meeting today at the University of Louisiana. New Orleans Bowl executive director Billy Ferrante said Monday he will be meeting with university and city officials at 1 p.m. today at UL president Dr. Ray Authement's office to discuss the site of this year's game. "This is really the first in-depth conversation we've had about it and there's a lot that we need to talk about," Ferrante said Monday. "I don't expect that we'll walk away knowing that we're going to definitely doing that (playing the bowl game in Lafayette), but I think we can get very close tomorrow." The game was originally scheduled for Dec. 20 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, but the 'Dome won't be available because of Hurricane Katrina damage. Ferrante and the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, the bowl's organizing group, have been investigating alternative sites since it became apparent New Orleans could not host the event. "The things you have to have are a stadium, hotels and practice sites, and most cities have those things," Ferrante said. "One of the things we pride ourselves on is the special events we have and the functions that surround the game. There's a lot of enjoyment involved in showing what New Orleans has to offer, and Lafayette comes pretty close to that. "When we were first looking, Lafayette was a very viable alternative because there's a lot in Lafayette that shows off the same type of culture that makes New Orleans so special." UL interim athletic director David Walker said that he and Ragin' Cajun head coach Rickey Bustle are in a fact-finding mission for today's meeting. "Hopefully we'll find out what they're looking at and what direction we're looking," Walker said. "We probably won't have a firm decision come out of there." Sun Belt Conference commissioner Wright Waters will not attend the meeting, but said he has already indicated the league would support a move to Lafayette. The league handed the operation of the bowl game to the GNOSF two years ago. "They run the Final Four and the Super Bowl when they're here," Waters said of the Foundation, "and in years when they don't have those events this helps keep them vibrant. They've got the lead on this, but we're on the same page. The logical place to have it is Lafayette assuming we can make all the details work. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - One major hurdle remains, but officials from the Wyndham New Orleans Bowl appear ready to bring their event to Lafayette and Cajun Field in December. New Orleans Bowl Executive Director Billy Ferrante and Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation President and CEO Jay Cicero were in Lafayette on Tuesday afternoon and toured facilities at the University of Lafayette along with UL President Ray Authement. "From a facility and a host city standpoint," Ferrante said, "Lafayette is everything we're looking for. We're looking for a community that will in effect take ownership in the event, and today showed us that exists here." The Dec. 20 game, which matches the Sun Belt champion against a Conference USA selection, was played at the Superdome in the bowl's first four years. With the Superdome damaged and not available due to the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation has been searching for a site for this year's game and potential future games. "It's important to us to keep it in Louisiana," Cicero said. "We're going to try to make the event a fundraiser for disaster relief, and that effort will be going on for a long time." The biggest sticking point is hotel availability, a situation complicated by the number of hurricane evacuees and relief workers housing in local hotels. Bowl officials indicated a need for as many as 3,500 rooms for mid-December. "We're already working on that," said Karen Primeaux, convention marketing manager for the Lafayette Parish Convention and Visitors Commission. "We're already getting our information to send to the hotels, and we hope to have that compiled within a week. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[Corndog308]

If we would be in that game, I think we would have the same attendance as the 96' Texas A&M game. You betcha!!!!!! If not, something is wrong.

[NewsCopy]

The glancing blow from Hurricane Rita last weekend might have slowed the process, but Lafayette is still the leading candidate to host the Wyndham New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 20. The game matching the Sun Belt football champion against a team from Conference USA had been played at the Superdome in its first four years of existence, but officials from the hosting Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation made a site inspection of Lafayette and Cajun Field last week. The major question for bowl officials was availability of hotel rooms, with Acadiana still an evacuee site for both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. "Everything is a go assuming that hotel rooms are available," Sun Belt Commissioner Wright Waters said of Lafayette hosting the game. "Hurricane Rita made everyone have to go back and count heads again and we don't know what the evacuation numbers will be. "But the enthusiasm of the people from Lafayette was noted and appreciated. I think it can be a great venue for the event." The rest of the story and more Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

Hurricane brings New Orleans Bowl to Lafayette It took a hurricane to make it happen, but Acadiana and the University of Louisiana's Cajun Field will host a Division I-A football bowl game in December. The Wyndham New Orleans Bowl, pushed from its Louisiana Superdome home by Hurricane Katrina, will relocate to Cajun Field for its Dec. 20 contest, matching the Sun Belt Conference champion against a team from Conference USA. "From a facility and a host city standpoint, Lafayette is everything we're looking for," said New Orleans Bowl Executive Director Billy Ferrante. "We needed a community to, in effect, take ownership in the event." The formal announcement of the move to Lafayette will be made at a news conference at 3:30 p.m. today in UL's Alumni Boardroom. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[Cajunologist]

I had a feeling they would make an anoucement this week since we lost our conference game. They've got a good idea we probably wont be in it.

[Mineshaft]

I had a feeling they would make an anoucement this week since we lost our conference game. They've got a good idea we probably wont be in it.

Trust me ULL wont be in it. Not this year not next year not the year after. Not with this coaching staff they wont be in it.

[JMV JustMyView]

I had a feeling they would make an anoucement this week since we lost our conference game. They've got a good idea we probably wont be in it.

Ouch...

[CajunRebel]

Also, Wright Waters has put his name in the hat for the Louisiana A.D. position!!
DaddyCajun!

WOAH! When did this happen? And why? Why would Waters want to make a move like this?