2013 Super Bowl in New Orleans: 'No If' About It, Says Saints Owner

The NFL will announce the site of the 2013 Super Bowl later Tuesday afternoon (reportedly around 4:30 PM ET) and word on the Tweet, at least according to Saints' owner Tom Benson via NFL Network's Scott Hanson, is that you can go right ahead and lock New Orleans in to host.

See, Hanson is on-scene at the owners meetings and even had breakfast with Benson, afterward quoting the Saints owner via tweet.

Saints Owner Tom Benson says he's confident NOLA will land the 2013 Super Bowl. "there's no 'if' about it!"

Benson adds: "We're not 'coming back'... we ARE back!" (note: I will be only "civilian" in the room when owners vote...

Hanson added that he would tweet at first opportunity -- there are apparently rules about having cell phones in the voting room, for obvious reasons relating to leakage. On the other hand, the rumor that New Orleans is locked for the Super Bowl doesn't seem to surprise many folks whatsoever, and as Florio noted, ever since the Saints extended their deal with the Superdome, it's seemed pretty obvious that they would be heavy favorites.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing either; I'm all for "fair shakes" and "democratic voting" and whatnot, but New Orleans is a city that -- more than most in this miserable economic state -- could really use an infusion of revenue. It won't happen (allegedly at this point) happen until 2013, but at least it's some sort of faint glimmer of hope.