New Orleans Gets Super Bowl in 2002

New Orleans was awarded its ninth Super Bowl on Wednesday, beating out San Diego for the rights to the 2002 NFL title game.

Neither city could get the necessary three-quarters vote from the league’s 30 owners on the first ballot. On the second ballot, a simple majority was needed and New Orleans won in what NFL officials called a “close vote.”

“New Orleans has been an outstanding Super Bowl city,” NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said at the end of league meetings. “Their presentation was good and the owners were happy to be heading back to New Orleans.”

New Orleans, which last played host to a Super Bowl in 1997, has staged five Super Bowls in the Superdome and three at Tulane Stadium.

Tagliabue said that San Diego, which held the 1988 and 1998 games, is the leading candidate for the 2004 title game. San Francisco, which was supposed to be the site for the upcoming Super Bowl, has the rights to the 2003 game to be played in its new stadium.

This season’s Super Bowl will be in Miami in 1999. Atlanta will play host in 2000 and Tampa, Fla., in 2001.