The New Orleans Pelicans’ NBA G-League team will move back to the New Orleans area under a proposed agreement approved by Kenner’s City Council Thursday night.
The Kenner City Council unanimously authorized mayor Michael Glaser to enter into an agreement with the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans’ developmental squad, to move the team from Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, to the Pontchartrain Center at the north end of Williams Boulevard. A memorandum of understanding says the team will tentatively be renamed to the “Laketown Squadron.”
David Chaix, CFO for the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, said at the meeting that relocating closer to New Orleans will make the operation more efficient while helping “deepen our organization’s investment in the local community.”
Glaser said Thursday’s vote was the culmination of 18 months of discussions.Â
“The Pontchartrain Center (over) the past many, many years has been underutilized, lost its touch with conventions and became pretty much like a civic center,” Glaser said. “But it was built with a basketball footprint.”
The Pontchartrain CenterÕs sign is seen near the end of Williams Boulevard in Kenner on Friday, April 19, 2024. (Staff photo by Brett Duke, The Times-Picayune)
STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE
The plan is for the Squadron to begin playing games in Kenner to start the 2026-27 campaign, Kenner spokesperson Valerie Brolin said.
The Squadron will spend $5 million on upgrades to the Pontchartrain Center, including two locker rooms, two basketball courts, a new video board and other equipment, the agreement states. They will play at the Pontchartrain Center for five years, with the option to renew for up to 15 more years.
The team will play 24 home games per season at the facility, Chaix said. The facility has a seating capacity of 3,700.
The team will not pay rent to Kenner while it recovers those costs through game revenue and other fees. Once the $5 million is recovered, the team will pay a flat monthly rent of $16,950, the agreement states. The proposed contract also gives Kenner hotels and other businesses first priority for all Squadron activities.
The finalized contract will appear before the council for another vote at a later date.
The Squadron has played in Birmingham since 2021, after making the move from Eerie, Pennsylvania. The Squadron’s current home in Birmingham can hold up to 17,654 fans for games.
The Squadron drew a crowd of close to 5,000 for its inaugural game in Birmingham in 2021, and more recently had an official attendance of 1,483 for the team’s last home game on Jan. 28.
Trey Murphy and Jose Alvarado, who was traded to the New York Knicks on Thursday, are among the standout Pelicans players who have played in Birmingham.
The Pontchartrain Center opened in 1991 and is currently operated by Legends Global, which also operates the Smoothie King Center, home to the Pelicans.
The Squadron will upgrade the Pontchartrain Center as Jefferson Parish prepares to construct a $14 million amphitheater along the shoreline next door, which will have its own seating capacity of about 10,000. The nearby Treasure Chest Casino also opened its successful land-based facility last year, and Kenner Police have opened a new substation in the area to support the growing traffic.
Patrick Magee contributed to this report.