In addition to being considered the “father of professional football” in New Orleans, Dixon’s pioneering spirit also involved his founding World Championship Tennis (WCT) with Lamar Hunt as well as the United States Football League (USFL).
Dixon’s involvement in making the Superdome a realization started in the late 1960's when he was supported by Gov. John McKeithen. Since the giant venue opened in 1975, it has hosted six Super Bowls, three BCS football championship games, numerous NCAA Final Four tournaments and hundreds of major conventions.
But it was the building of the Superdome with which Dixon was most closely linked. He said he got the idea for building a domed stadium after reading an article about famed architect Buckminster Fuller, who talked about the future of such stadiums in the future in major cities.
By the time Gov. McKeithen assumed office in 1964, Dixon was prepared with artist renderings of the stadium and years later the Superdome would open to great fanfare.
Dixon is survived by his wife, Mary Shea Dixon; son David (Frank) Jr., John Shea Dixon and Martin Stuart Dixon; and four grandchildren.
A funeral Mass will be said Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. at the Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, and the funeral procession will pass by the Superdome en route to Metairie Cemetery for burial. Arrangements are being handled by Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home.