Superdome security a focus after deadly attack in New Orleans leads to Sugar Bowl postponement

Superdome in New Orleans was on lockdown for security sweeps on Wednesday after a truck driver plowed into a crowd of New Year's revellers about 1.5 kilometres away earlier in the morning, killing at least 15 people.

The College Football Playoff quarter-final Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame, which will be played at the 70,000-seat Superdome, was postponed after the attack, pushed back to Thursday night, said Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley.

"Public safety is paramount," Hundley said at a media briefing alongside federal, state and local officials, including Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

"All parties all agree that it's in the best interest of everybody and public safety that we postpone the game for 24 hours."

The casualties occurred when a driver rammed a pickup truck into a crowd of revellers in New Orleans' famed French Quarter early on New Year's Day, injuring more than 30 people. The driver was killed in a firefight with police following the attack at about 3:15 a.m. along Bourbon Street near Canal Street, according to the FBI.

Officials say residents and visitors should feel safe in New Orleans, even as they have repeatedly acknowledged that they are aggressively seeking possible additional suspects in the attack.

U.S. Rep. Troy Carter said the decision to postpone the game "was not done lightly."

"It was done with one single thing in mind: public safety — making sure that the citizens and visitors of this great city, not only for this event, but for every event you come to in Louisiana, that you will be safe," Carter said.

"And we will use every resource possible."

Landry said he had a message for those thinking, "Man, do I really want to go to the Sugar Bowl tomorrow?"

"I tell you one thing: Your governor's going to be there," Landry said. "That is proof, believe you me, that that facility and this city is safer today than it was yesterday."

Hundley said work was underway to "set up a safe and efficient and fun environment" at and around the Superdome on Thursday night.

"We live in the fun-and-games world with what we do, but we certainly recognize the importance of this and support [public safety efforts] 100 per cent."

People with offices in the Superdome — including officials with the Sugar Bowl and Sun Belt Conference — were told not to come into work until further notice. Some credentialed Superdome employees were permitted into offices by Wednesday afternoon.