Lafayette To Host 2005 NO Bowl

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Lafayette to host 2005 New Orleans Bowl

Courtesy: Sun Belt Conference

Release: 10/11/2005

LAFAYETTE, La. - The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation announced Tuesday that the 5th Annual New Orleans Bowl will be played in Lafayette this year at UL Lafayette's Cajun Field.

The game, which will take place at 6 p.m. CT on Dec. 20 and will air live on ESPN, will feature the Sun Belt Conference champion against an opponent to be determined from Conference USA.

The change of venue, prompted by hurricane damages to the Louisiana Superdome, was facilitated by a group effort between the GNOSF, the New Orleans Bowl Committee, the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, the Lafayette Convention & Visitors Commission, and the University of Louisiana Lafayette.

The decision to move the game to Lafayette involved a coordinated effort between leaders from both communities, who worked on logistics through the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, as well as the lifecycle of Hurricane Rita.

Jay Cicero, President/CEO of the GNOSF, and the New Orleans Bowl staff quickly identified Lafayette as the host for this year's game.

"The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation has been unwavering in our desire to keep the New Orleans Bowl in Louisiana," Cicero said. "Everyone's patience and diligence through this process has been phenomenal, and we are all excited about the payoff. Lafayette provides a number of key elements we wanted in a host city.

"Most importantly, it compliments the unique culturally rich backdrop and Cajun hospitality that our participating teams and visitors are accustomed to, and the spirit of our Bowl that cant be found anywhere other than South Louisiana. Additionally, by keeping the bowl next door, our economic development mission for the State of Louisiana can be realized in a region that is hard at work in the aftermath of the recent storms."

Lafayette has seen its share of residue from both South Louisiana hurricanes, including the unexpected demands on the hospitality industry.

Billy Ferrante, Executive Director of the New Orleans Bowl, worked with local leaders to tackle the key issue of housing for the event.

"At a time when forecasting hotel room availability throughout our region seemed impossible, the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission put forth a Herculean effort to guarantee availability for our teams, bands, broadcast partners, fans, and special events," Ferrante said. "Now, we are now looking forward to working with the City of Lafayette, the CVC, the Chamber, and the University, in a Host Committee capacity as they continue to take ownership of this event as if it were their own."

Working to secure the more than 3500 rooms required to stage the event, Karen Primeaux, Convention Marketing Manager for the Lafayette CVC, welcomed the challenge.

"We are honored to host such a prestigious event in Lafayette and we are looking forward to a full house at Cajun Field on December 20th," Primeaux said. "The city of Lafayette has incredible Cajun and Creole cuisine, great attractions and over 4,000 hotel rooms within the city."

Setting the stage for the move, University President, Dr. Ray Authement, and Interim Director of Athletics, David Walker, made the 31,000-seat Cajun Field available and pledged invaluable operational support to help in the logistical transition for the Bowl.

"I am delighted that we were able to find hotel accommodations and other amenities so the Bowl could be held in Lafayette," Authement said. "There are a lot of similarities between New Orleans and Lafayette. Though we are not the same in size, Lafayette is rich in culture and highly respected for its' food and music."

"We cant put a price tag on the value of local expertise, and we certainly want to tap into the best resources available," Cicero added. "After serving as the local host to large scale events since 1988 (Super Bowls and Final Fours included), our staff knows the value of, and is looking forward to, relying on Lafayette talent to help us stage a great game that showcases this region, creates a memorable event for the players and fans, and has a positive economic impact on this city."

In addition to an overall $10-15 million economic impact for the local economy, media exposure surrounding the Bowl will deliver an immeasurable positive media and public relations value.

More information on the 2005 New Orleans Bowl can be found at www.NewOrleansBowl.com

courtesy Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation