Building for the 'Bowl: How Scenic Fabrication Brings Super Bowl Dreams to Life

It’s Super Bowl week, and we are in it big time. Nine projects, big and small, all fabricating and installing at the same time. Over a month of putting on events all over the city—incredibly hard work by an incredible team. Luxury parties, brand experiences, scenic decor at Caesars Superdome, all culminating in one moment…which just so happens to be one of the biggest moments in the world.

The last time New Orleans hosted the Super Bowl was 2013, also known as the year the lights went out. It wasn’t me, I promise! I was at Jackson Square that evening, working as a Project Lead at Solomon Group. The project I was leading just so happened to be four simultaneous broadcast location sets for CBS: CBS News, CBS Sports, The Talk, The Late Late Show, and Inside the NFL (on Showtime) were all shooting there that week. Sixteen-plus hour days were the norm for multiple weeks on site, including loading in, managing, and striking. The days were a blur, but man, was it a blast. Those sets were fantastic. Michael Kramer of MPKscenic is a great designer, and he nailed the scenic designs for those sets.

Super Bowl XLVII was my first, and it really tested me. Even though I had already been in the industry for 10 years at that point, there’s nothing quite like the Super Bowl. It really is the biggest event in the country. In the weeks leading up to game day, I ran the shop for the swing shift, managing 20–30 people and making sure that everything stayed on schedule for everything CBS-related. Once everything was starting to load in, I basically lived at Jackson Square, starting with the installation of a huge bridge structure over Decatur Street and then moving on to loading in all of the locations.

On a large load in, days always become a blur, but for me the whole two months before seem like one long day to me. When you’re still young in the industry, things like this are always just the pinnacle of excitement; I was relishing every moment. Once it was all set up and shooting, I mostly stayed at Jackson Square to handle all carpentry and touch-ups throughout the various shoots, but sometimes I had to run out and help with any number of the other locations and brand activations that Solomon Group was working on. It was exhausting, but thrilling. The French Quarter was always completely packed, and it was great to see how well everything that we did was received.

Fast forward to a few years later at Super Bowl XLIX in Phoenix, AZ, where I helped my friends at Corporate Lighting & Audio load in and set up at the Phoenix Convention Center for the NFL Fan Experience. They needed a hand with ensuring all of their truss layouts throughout the convention center were correct and that certain logistical concerns were handled. We were out there for the better part of January, and it was a blast. The Fan Experience is such a dynamic event for football fans of all ages, and it adds a whole new dimension to the overall excitement of Super Bowl weekend.

When I started Downtown FabWorks in 2019, one of my big goals was to work on the Super Bowl again, so we were happy to be tapped to support ShowRig by fabricating truss fascia wraps in New Orleans to be installed by their team in Miami for Super Bowl LIV. That was in February 2020, and we all know what happened next.

In 2023, DFW was able to work with our friends at FlyteVu on the Amazon film premiere of Kelce in Philadelphia, PA, which was a fantastic treat. Our companies had such a great time working together, so we were happy when FlyteVu invited us to team up on a major brand activation for Ashley Home Store at Super Bowl LVIII. The activation, aptly named Ashley House, was a part of the company’s brand takeover at Resort World in Las Vegas, NV, and fans loved it. Watching people get back out into the world and soak in the vibes of Super Bowl weekend felt amazing. After our team had completed the activation, I walked down the Strip, taking everything in. Las Vegas really is a great town to host a major event, and they spared no expense in February 2024.

And now here we are, back in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX. In October 2024, Downtown FabWorks secured a 40,000 sq. ft. facility, and we spent November and December moving in and getting our shop set up. While that was all happening, our sales team secured nine Super Bowl-related projects, and we actually had to hire up to meet the need. I’m so proud of my leadership team, because they did a masterful job of putting their teams together. It might sound biased for me to say it, but we absolutely have the best team in New Orleans, hands down. Throughout December and January, the shop hummed with activity as over 50 designers, artisans, and craftspeople worked in sync, day and night. Our Super Bowl team includes people from film, TV, theater, events, and also folks who were new to it all and eager to learn. Everyone jumped in and pushed it to the limit, and it shows in the quality work that has been produced this season.

As I write this, three shows have already run and loaded out, three shows are ready to go, and three more are loading in as we speak. Our clients are from all over the country. The projects include brand activations and private VIP parties at various venues around the Big Easy and themed decor at Caesars Superdome. It’s satisfying to know that our work will be enjoyed by countless thousands of people who have come to New Orleans, the best place in America to host a party. Even though our company may still be relatively new, the vast experience and expertise of myself and the people on this team have set us up for success—for ourselves, our clients, and the patrons.

I’m so proud of this team and this crew. They’ve performed marvelously under the toughest of conditions. They all get it. And if you know what it is, then you will get us. This Super Bowl weekend, please take a moment to remember all of the people who work behind the scenes to make the dream happen. And when it’s your turn to show off your brand on the biggest day of the year, remember to give us a call.