▁entire ▁new ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁stad ium . ▁This ▁portion ▁would ▁allow ▁the ▁stad ium ▁capacity ▁to ▁be ▁expanded ▁only ▁if ▁need ▁be . ▁This ▁exp anse ▁put ▁the ▁total ▁capacity ▁at ▁ 6 3 , 0 0 0 . ▁This ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁gr ander ▁upgrad ing ▁plan ▁that ▁improved ▁all ▁aspects ▁of ▁the ▁facility , ▁from ▁conc ourses ▁to ▁playing ▁surface . ▁ ▁Independ ence ▁Stadium ▁was ▁considered ▁as ▁a ▁possible ▁playing ▁site ▁for ▁the ▁New ▁Orleans ▁Sain ts ▁during ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁National ▁Football ▁League ▁season ▁due ▁to ▁H urr icane ▁K atr ina , ▁but ▁Sh re ve port ▁eventually ▁lost ▁out ▁to ▁the ▁Al am od ome ▁in ▁San ▁Antonio , ▁Texas , ▁and ▁Louisiana ▁State ▁University ' s ▁T iger ▁Stadium ▁in ▁Bat on ▁Rou ge . ▁However , ▁Independ ence ▁Stadium ▁eventually ▁was ▁chosen ▁to ▁host ▁the ▁Sain ts ' ▁first ▁pr ese ason ▁home ▁game ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁season ▁while ▁the ▁Louisiana ▁Super d ome ▁prepared ▁for ▁its ▁grand ▁re - open ing . ▁Field ▁Tur f ▁was ▁installed ▁on ▁the ▁stad ium ' s ▁playing ▁surface ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁a ▁Texas ▁UI L ▁play off ▁game ▁was ▁played ▁featuring ▁Mes qu ite ▁Horn ▁H S ▁and ▁the ▁technical ▁host ▁Long view . ▁ ▁Long view ▁won , ▁ 2 8 – 1 4 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Independ ence ▁Stadium ▁hosted