The Superdome has already reached its 40 years. The UFO-like structure located at Poydras Street has opened its doors on Monday to the public with a "Welcome to the Future" theme.
In a report by The Advocate, it was said to have all started when ex-Governor John McKeithen considered the proposal of Dave Dixon, a businessman and sports visionary who proposed to build a domed stadium in New Orleans. The ex-Governor had no second thoughts in approving the proposal, and even said with excitement: "My God; that would be the greatest building in the history of mankind." McKeithen was also reported to have said that that they would "build that sucker!"
And the construction was indeed made possible, even though they knew it would take a long time to finish such a structure. The visionaries waited patiently until they saw their dream come true, and the dome was completed in the year 1975.
According to Curbed Nola, the Superdome was built by architect duo Curtis & Davis. These architects are to be credited for the beautiful modern homes found around New Orleans, like Lakeshore West mid-century.
In its forty years, the Dome has experienced sweet and bitter events. It became a sad symbol of New Orleans when thousands of residents got stranded in the city during the hurricane Katrina. The roof peeled off because it couldn't stand the storm's strong winds and the heavy rains, affecting those who were taking refuge inside. Though it experienced sad events, the Dome also witnessed happy moments, one of them was during the celebration of its first Saints home game, Curbed reported.
The Dome, which is now in the care of Mercedes-Benz, has endured all the ups and downs of the past forty years, and we can expect that it can endure more in its succeeding years. Have a Happy Birthday Superdome and may you have many more anniversaries to come!