USA Today reported yesterday  that it cost $185 million to repair the Superdome in New Orleans.  A paltry $15 million of this amount was provided by the NFL.  Apparently, neither the owners of the Saints football team nor the trustees of Tulane University, whose college football team also uses the Superdome, provided any money at all.  According to Doug Thornton, regional vice president of the private management company for the Superdome (which is owned by the State of Louisiana), the remaining $170 million "was from the public—assistance program from FEMA on insurance disasters to cover state property." In other words, the nation's taxpayers paid to "restore" the Superdome (which now enjoys several new and improved features) through funds allocated to FEMA for disaster relief.  (HT:  Debbie Schlussel) Naming rights have been used to remodel or build stadiums all over the country, but the cost has never approached $170 million. For this sum, US taxpayers surely deserve...(Read Full Post)