Saints Owner Tom Benson Makes Record $11M Donation to Football Hall of Fame
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Stacy Revere/Getty Images(METAIRIE, La.) — New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson has agreed to pledge $11 million to the Pro Football Hall of Fame — it’s the largest contribution by any individual in the history of the establishment.
$10 million of Benson’s donation will go towards the renovation of Fawcett Stadium, which will be renamed “Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.”
The remaining money will be used for the Hall of Fame’s Legends Landing Program. This program will be a mixed-use residence that includes a room for retired players and Hall of Famers.
He has also challenged the other 31 owners to match his $1 million donation towards the Legends Landing Program.
“This is a donation that I feel very strongly about,” Benson said in a statement. “I have taken great pride in the recovery and renaissance of my home city, New Orleans, not only prior to but, more importantly, post-Katrina. We have done great things in our city, and today we can proudly present New Orleans as a city that is a role model to other communities. We are proud of that. So when approached to make a donation to the Pro Football of Fame in Canton, Ohio, I did not think long at all about why we should help.”
Benson has owned the Saints since 1985, and is one of the NFL’s longest tenured owners.
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