DROPPED THAT BALL

Superdome Worried About Blackout

Months before Super Bowl.

While experts attempt to sort through the cause of the 34-minute blackout that rocked the Superdome during Super Bowl Sunday, public records released reveal that top officials had serious qualms about a possible power outage. A memo from October 15, which included tests on the dome’s electrical feeders, reported “some decay” and “a chance of failure,” due to an outdated system. The engineering staff from Entergy New Orleans—the stadium’s power supply company—expressed concern “regarding the reliability of the Dome service from Entergy’s connection point.” Following the worrisome report, the state board at the Superdome authorized nearly $1 million in electrical equipment replacements. A legal counsel for the board claims the blackout was unrelated to the replacement equipment. Mmm, k.