Construction, weather force Saints to California for camp

The New Orleans Saints' training camp is now under way in Irvine, California. Why exactly did the Saints move camp from their Metairie headquarters to the Golden State? Team leadership says a number of factors led to the decision.

"We're hear because of the variables that existed with the remodel of the facility," Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said during a media briefing.

According to Loomis, those ongoing renovations at the Saints complex in Metairie cut off access to part of the indoor practice facility. That coupled with the stifling heat and torrential downpours the area has seen this summer led Saints officials to move camp to California.

"Who knows what the heat's going to be over the next 30 days," Loomis said. "It's going to be hot: we know that, but there's also been a lot more rainfall. That along with the limited amount of space we have in the indoor facility because the remodel has taken away some of our space inside there, it just makes it a lot more . . . it just confirms--affirms--the decision to come out here and have training camp away."

If you're a Saints fan whose planning to travel to Irvine to see the Black-and-Gold work out, you'll want to scrap those plans. This year's training camp is closed to the public.

"We're away from our home market," Loomis said. "We weren't expecting a lot of fans."

That, along with a number of other factors led Saints officials to declare the workouts to be private.

"The venue (and) all the logistics that are involved because (there are) significantly more logistics involved when you open it up to the public than when you don't," Loomis said. "It was more about here (and) the short time to get all the logistics worked out for ourselves."

The Saints will hold two public practices after they return to Louisiana in August. The first will take place on Tuesday, August 20 at Yulman Stadium on the Tulane campus. The other is set for Friday, August 23 in the Superdome.

Loomis says the relocation of training camp is expected to be temporary.

"In terms of the future, our intentions are to be back in Metairie," Loomis said.