The Playoff quarterfinal on the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame has been postponed after a truck plowed right into a New Yr’s crowd a few mile away early Wednesday, killing a minimum of 10 folks.
The sport, initially scheduled for Wednesday night time on the 70,000-seat Superdome, has been pushed again 24 hours to Thursday night time.
“For now, that’s the plan,” Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley stated.
The Superdome was on lockdown for safety sweeps on Wednesday morning, when folks with workplaces within the Superdome — together with officers with the Sugar Bowl and Solar Belt Convention — have been instructed to not come into work till additional discover.
Some credentialed Superdome staff have been permitted into workplaces by Wednesday afternoon.
The casualties occurred when a driver rammed a pickup truck right into a crowd of revelers in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter early on New Yr’s Day. The motive force was killed in a firefight with police following the assault at about 3:15 a.m. alongside Bourbon Road close to Canal Road, the FBI stated.
The Georgia and Notre Dame soccer groups arrived in New Orleans on Sunday and have been staying at downtown lodges simply blocks away from the place the violence occurred.
A press release from the College of Georgia Athletic Affiliation stated that “all workforce personnel and members of the official workforce journey get together have been accounted for.”
New Orleans Metropolis Council President Helena Moreno instructed WDSU-TV: “What you’ll see right now for the Sugar Bowl, which can go on, is that the perimeter for safety across the Superdome has been prolonged to be a bigger zone.”
“So anticipate clearly additional safety. There are extra cops who’re coming in.”
The Superdome, which is about 20 blocks away, is also scheduled to host the Tremendous Bowl on Feb. 9.
The primary Tremendous Bowl after the terrorist assaults of Sept. 11, 2001, additionally was held in New Orleans, and there was a large safety perimeter for that recreation together with avenue closures surrounding the Superdome and officers — together with snipers — on the tops of surrounding high-rise buildings, in addition to on the roof of the dome itself.
“We’re deeply saddened by the information of the devastating incident in New Orleans,” the NFL stated in an announcement. “The NFL and the native host committee have been working collaboratively with native, state and federal companies the previous two years and have developed complete safety plans.
“These planning periods will proceed as they do with all main NFL occasions,” the assertion continued. “We’re assured attendees may have a secure and satisfying Tremendous Bowl expertise.”