Saints Move Camp Back to South Louisiana

The New Orleans Saints, who last year moved their summer training camp from Florida to north Louisiana, have announced that this year’s camp will be in the southeast Louisiana city of Hammond.

Jim Finks, general manager of the National Football League team, said the Saints will use the facilities of Southeastern Louisiana University. He said Hammond’s proximity to New Orleans International Airport--it’s a 45 minute drive away--was the deciding factor in the move.

Last year, new owner Tom Benson moved the camp from Vero Beach, Fla., to Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, several hours away from New Orleans.

SLU President J. Larry Crain says the university’s contract with the Saints calls for the team to pay a flat rate to the school for each player, coach and staff member at camp.

However, Crain said he was unable to give any figures on how much money that will mean to his financially strapped university.

The courtship of the Saints was more a community service than any attempt to make money for the school, Crain said. He said unemployment is running 15% in Tangipahoa Parish, where SLU is the major industry.

SLU abandoned its football program earlier this year because of the drain on the school’s resources.