![New Orleans Arena Naming Rights Deal Smells Fishy](http://townsquare.media/site/36/files/2012/01/New-Orleans-Arena-photo-neworleansarenadotcom.jpg?w=980&q=75)
New Orleans Arena Naming Rights Deal Smells Fishy
Some trade groups and industry officials say they disapprove of a proposal being considered by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board to buy the naming rights to the New Orleans Arena.
If approved the plan would use about 17 percent of the $30 million BP gave to repair Gulf seafood's damaged reputation after the Deepwater Horizon spill.
The Seafood Board's Executive director, Ewell Smith, says it could help Louisiana seafood and restaurants statewide.
But board member Alan Gibson, who works at at Tideland Seafood Co. in Dulac, says the money was to rebuild and promote the entire industry — not "celebrity sports millionaires or New Orleans."
Board member Stephen Minvielle is also director of the Louisiana Crawfish Farmers Association. He says the crawfish group's board unanimously opposes the idea.
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