After a rocky preseason debut, the new concessions operator at the Caesars Superdome is promising a better experience for Saints fans as Sunday’s regular season home opener against the Arizona Cardinals nears.
Legends Hospitality, which took over the Superdome's exclusive food and beverage [contract in July after Sodexo’s 25-year run](https://www.nola.com/news/business/new-contractors-at-superdome-nasa-re-hire-most-employees/article_37adf2b4-a3dd-4d7e-9ecf-0d272361f975.html), faced a wave of complaints during the Saints’ first preseason home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 17.
The issues included slow service and poor food quality, and were particularly noticeable in the high-priced suites that ring the Dome, according to people who attended the game — prompting a written apology to suite holders from Legends.
Suite upgrades were a central part of the $560 million recently completed renovation of the Superdome. (A rendering of the field level suites at the Caesars Superdome.)
New Orleans Saints
"Clearly, we did not meet your expectations yesterday, nor did we come close to the high standards we set for our company," wrote Legends' vice president of hospitality Lauren 'Fitz' Fitzmorris the day after the Jaguars game.
She said Legends wanted to "sincerely apologize" and had learned important lessons from the debacle, promising improvements.
### Long lines, 'Play-Doh' pizza
Though it was only a preseason outing, the first chance to see the Saints at home under new Head Coach Kellen Moore drew a near-capacity crowd of just over 70,000.
Some fans who received catering service in the 165 exclusive suites complained of long delays and poor-quality food.
"The pizza was like Play-Doh and the wings were burned to the bone," said an attendee who was in a suite for the Jaguars game. He didn't want to be quoted by name as he was a guest of a company leasing the suite and wasn't authorized to speak.
Some ordinary ticketholders also faced long lines at the nearly 100 fixed and mobile concession stands around the stadium, and complained of poor quality wings, nachos and the near absence of 'local' food options, according to the organizer of one of the Saints' fan clubs, who didn't have authorization to be quoted by name.
"Guess the true test will be this Sunday," the fan club organizer said via text.
### A new vendor's first day
Legends, headquartered in New York City, is owned by a private equity group and counts Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and the New York Yankees organization as minority stakeholders.
The stadium completed its takeover of ASM Global last year, creating one of the world's largest venue and hospitality groups. ASM and a local predecessor company have run the Superdome for the state of Louisiana since 1977.
Legends was chosen by ASM to replace Sodexo as the Superdome concession provider after a process that involved a consultant's report on the relative merits of the two firms.
The seven-member Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District board — known as the Superdome Commission — approved ASM's move in June.
### Promises of better service ahead
The Superdome suites, which typically offer a host of different food and beverage options, were a primary focus of the recently completed $560 million stadium renovation. Saints President Dennis Lauscha described the upgraded suites as the "engine" for generating revenue to help pay off the $300 million renovation bonds issued by the state to help fund the project.
The suites typically cost from $10,000 to $30,000 per game to lease, depending on size and importance of the event. Leasing a suite for a full season can cost $1 million or more, depending on size, location and other options like corporate branding, according to specialist stadium suite brokers.
Under the current lease agreement, the Saints receive 42% of all concession revenue generated at the stadium.
It is not clear what led to the poor service and food quality last month. When it took over the contract in July, Legends said it expected to re-hire essentially all of the 880 staff that had been employed by Sodexo. Legends spokesperson Stacey Escudero referred to the letter from Fitzmorris and declined to comment further.
ASM Global general manager Evan Holmes made a brief reference to the issues at the Superdome Commission's last meeting on Aug. 27, noting that "we had some opportunities for improvement after the first game." ASM declined to comment further.
In response to complaints from the Jaguars game, Saints spokesperson Greg Bensel said that the organization "learned about the issues facing Legends at the Jacksonville game as they were happening" and "immediately worked with them to help mitigate as best possible the issues that they were facing."
"A positive experience on gameday for all of our fans and our suite holders is extremely important," Bensel said.
He said that everyone worked diligently ahead of the second and final preseason home game against the Denver Broncos on Aug. 23.
"By all accounts, food service and delivery both in the stadium and the suite level was significantly improved," he said. "We look forward to and are confident that Legends will deliver even better service to our fans when we open the regular season."