If you’re like me, you look forward to hosting a big event at home or in the office because it gives you a chance to fix and clean things to show off your beautiful space. I remember redoing the entire backyard a few years ago because we were throwing a large party, and we knew the backyard would be overflow. It ended up being the highlight of the day, with more people outside than inside.
As you move around New Orleans right now, the city is in this getting ready mode for the Super Bowl. As you drive from the airport to Downtown and the French Quarter, everything is being worked on and getting polished to impress.
This reminds me of something else that was huge in New Orleans 40 years ago. In 1984, the city hosted the World’s Fair, and while the event itself was an economic disappointment, it spawned the creation of many valuable assets throughout the city, including the opening of the Intercontinental Hotel and Windsor Court. After the World’s Fair, New Orleans was left with a new building that we now know as the New Orleans Ernst N. Morial Convention Center.
All these are assets on the balance sheet of New Orleans producing tax dollars for generations.
Why am I so excited to have the 2025 Superbowl in town next year? Is it for all the attention the city will receive around the world? Is it the economic benefit we’re sure to experience from all the visitors? Sure. But most of all I am excited just to have a clean, beautiful and bright city, even if it’s for just one day, or until the next time New Orleans shows off on the world stage.
Todd Matherne, CEO and Publisher
Renaissance Publishing
