NEW ORLEANS – Three months after the partial collapse that killed three workers and injured dozens, the Hard Rock Hotel site is still a huge problem for city leaders. On Monday, we reported that the on-again, off-again plan to use explosives to implode the building was back on and should happen in March. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said the plan is the safest option for workers and will bring the building down safely before the start of Hurricane season. Meanwhile, a pair of Carnival krewes – Enydmion and Zulu – announced plans this week to re-route their parades to avoid the site.
Later in the week, after photos appeared online showing the on-site remains of one of the workers who was killed in the partial collapse, the Mayor issued a release imploring people not to share the images and work crews installed more tarps to conceal the body. After this, several members of the New Orleans City Council said they plan to begin their own investigation of the incident and the slow cleanup process. This sparked a tense battle of words between the City Council and the Mayor’s office. …
On Tuesday, there was good news from the overseers of the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The airport reported a 46% revenue increase from drinking and dining options in December 2019 compared to the year before. This additional revenue will make it cheaper for airlines to fly to MSY and will potentially attract more flights to the city. …
… Also Tuesday we reported on the opening of the new Double Dealer speakeasy-style bar under the Orpheum Theatre. See our preview video.
The week saw two very different companies that do business in Louisiana declare bankruptcy: the Houston-based oilfield service company McDermott International and the Georgia-based restaurant chain Krystal.
And, lastly, while the impeachment trial is dominating headlines coming out of Washington, D.C., there’s another big event going on in the nation’s capital: the annual Washington Mardi Gras, where Louisiana’s politicians rub elbows with politicians from around the country. So now you know where some of those Senators are going when the sneak out of the U.S. Capitol …
