The richest person in Louisiana is New Orleans royalty and ‘Who Dat’ legend, Forbes says

The richest person in Louisiana made her fortune in sports.

Instead of making plays or breaking world records as an athlete, New Orleans native Gayle Benson’s $4.7 billion fortune amassed from owning sports teams.

Benson owns the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans franchises, “making her the first woman to be the principal owner of both an NFL and NBA team,” according to Forbes.

She inherited the teams from her husband, Tom Benson, after his death in 2018 and after she settled disputes over the assets with his daughter and grandchildren.

Before diving into football, Benson owned an interior design business.

“I was actually in that business for 30 years, and after we were married, Tom asked me to put all of my energy into learning the business of football so I would be prepared to lead the team if he couldn’t,” Benson told NFL.com. “The love he had for the NFL was infectious, and because I loved him so much, I wanted to do what he wanted to do and become just as excited about it.”

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In addition to football and basketball, Benson raced three horses in the Kentucky Derby.

Benson is regarded as New Orleans royalty and lives in Audubon Place, part of the most expensive neighborhood in Louisiana.