While the preference would have been to not interrupt the New Orleans Saints' in-season or offseason work, team officials were left with little choice this year if pre-planned renovations were to cause the least amount of disruption.
So, training camp for the team was moved this season to the University of California, Irvine, for the $12 million renovation of the dining area and weight room to continue progressing, with a completion date scheduled for November 2024.
Saints President Dennis Lauscha, Chief Financial Officer Ed Lang and Maureen Clary, who oversees all construction for Benson Enterprises, said Saturday that the project previously had been delayed in the search to find a more palatable way to proceed. But, ultimately, after initially having concluded in 2019 that such an upgrade was necessary, and having waited through Covid-related delays, the decision was that this year was the best time to proceed. Construction that normally might have taken a year will be compressed into nine months.
"We're doing this because we truly do want to have the best facilities in the National Football League," Lauscha said.
"The limited space we have, we cannot have training camp when you're looking at well over 150 people that would be eating their three meals in an area that size," he said of the current makeshift cafeteria. "It's unfortunate, but it's what we have to do to make it great."
Clary said power shutdowns, which can occur during such a major renovation, won't be as much of an issue with the team away.
"There are a lot of things that happen on a construction site that are unforeseen, and we can move a lot quicker if we're not having to work around the players and the coaches," she said.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Go behind the scenes of the renovations taking place at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, including updates to the team cafeteria, weight room, and more.
Notably for the dining area, it will expand from 6,000 square feet with a 1,000 square foot cooking area, to almost 14,000 square feet with a 4,000 square foot kitchen.
"One of our biggest issues has been storage," Lang said. "We just haven't been able to store fresh food. In fact, when we hired FLIK, who's operating the cafeteria now, they asked us to rent – we have two big storage units out in the back next to the cafeteria. They wanted to start serving fresher food. Part of expanding to 4,000 feet is a much, much larger storage area for fresh food."
For the Saints, the draft room renovation already has been completed, upgrades to the weight room have taken place and players will walk into an expanded locker room in the Caesars Superdome for the 2024 season. Renovations at the New Orleans Pelicans practice facility are scheduled to begin next week.
"When we finish what we're doing now, we still have other things to do in Phase 1," Lauscha said. "We're not ready to announce yet, but we have a Phase 2 component which I think will be extremely exciting, not only for our organization but for our community and for our parish and the constituents in the area."
Lauscha reiterated that after a year in Irvine, the Saints plan to return to their practice facility for training camp.
"We have every intention to be back," he said. "We fully intend to be back.
"There will always be things that are out of our control, weather being the most obvious one. Things can change. But the intention is, we're coming back. No one wants to be back more than (team owner) Mrs. (Gayle) Benson, (Executive Vice President/General Manager) Mickey (Loomis), myself – we get it.
"We love having our fans there. It stinks when we don't have our fans here. That's kind of why we put off this construction for as long as we did, to be perfectly honest. We were hoping there could be a better way not to impact our training camp. But at some point, you suck it up and you have to do it, and that's where we are."
Lauscha said he's unsure if camp in Irvine will be open to fans.
"I think there are some plans. I don't know if it's going to happen, based on the layout and what's happening there," he said. "And, again, we're going to try to get back to New Orleans as quickly as we can.
"I promise you, we understand how important it is to have the fans there. We talk about it constantly. It pains us that we don't. It seems like we were really starting to find a groove with the way we were hosting our training camp with the fans, and with the shade and everything else. And we're ready to bring all that back and improve on it."
