Superdome officials confident lights will stay on

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- From the dark side of the Super Bowl to the dawn of a new NFL season, the Superdome has undergone scrutiny and upgrades meant to ensure the lights won't go out in the middle of a game again.

Officials say the blackout during the NFL's title game between Baltimore and San Francisco last February was caused by a malfunctioning device beyond stadium property. The power company Entergy has removed the faulty device, and Superdome manager Doug Thornton says older transformers supplying power to lights — which never failed — have been replaced as a precaution.

The Saints open their regular season at home Sunday against Atlanta.

Thornton says the city needs a functioning Superdome ahead of its bid for the 2018 Super Bowl.