People from around the world flock to the Big Easy for all sorts of reasons: the food, the music, the architecture, the gardens, the river, the ‘gators, the beads, the antiques, the year-round party-hardy atmosphere. Heck, some even come here just to stagger down Bourbon Street at 1 a.m., safe in the knowledge they won’t be busted for carrying go-cups overflowing with powerful alcoholic beverages.
Until last fall, however, few tourists made New Orleans their destination for gambling, proving there are limits to excess, even in the City That Care Forgot.
After all, who in their right mind would make the trek to the big, crescent-shaped bend in the Mississippi River, primarily to coop themselves up inside a barge tricked out with slot machines, when they could be dancing at Tipitina’s or gorging themselves on gumbo and barbecue shrimp at any one of 300 great restaurants? It’s a fair question to ask, especially for anyone considering investing $300 million in a casino within doubloon-tossing distance of the French Quarter.
Ten years ago, knowing another riverboat probably wouldn’t do the trick, New Orleans approved plans for a land-based gambling palace. However, it wasn’t until last October — after several fits, starts, bankruptcies and political scandals — that Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. finally was ready to open the doors to the long-vacant brick behemoth at the intersection of Canal, Poydras and South Peters Streets.
It wasn’t easy. The designers of Harrah’s New Orleans were forced to accomplish this task with at least one of their hands tied behind their backs.
Because local businesses feared that a new downtown casino might further erode a tourist base already weakened by waterborne properties on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast and nearby Lake Pontchartrain, city officials prohibited Harrah’s from installing a hotel and fancy dining rooms. They did this knowing full well that the Las Vegas renaissance was fueled by billion-dollar themed hotels, which could lure such brand-name talents as Cirque du Soleil and Wolfgang Puck to the Strip.
Minus similar attractions, what, then, could Harrah’s offer its customers, besides the latest in slot-machine technology and a thrice-nightly mock Mardi Gras parade?
Plenty, as it turns out.
Although early financial returns have hardly been overwhelming, the good news is that the folks who designed Harrah’s New Orleans were able to maintain the city’s outrageous Mardi Gras flavor, giving it a fighting chance for long-term success. And, they did it without turning the cavernous 100,000-square-foot casino into a bad imitation of Las Vegas’ hugely popular Rio Suites Hotel — another Harrah’s property with a 24/7 carnival theme.
As befits the city where the game of craps was invented and first cocktail was served, the spacious and wildly colorful new facility — with its 2,900 slots and 120 table games — is the equal of any similar gambling arena in Las Vegas (taking into account the absence of a sports book, of course). To make sure the diamond-shaped building was as sensually appealing as the French Quarter and Garden District, local artisans were brought in to turn the five themed gaming “courts” into fanciful islands, keyed to the such regional passions as parades, live oaks, mansions, bayous, jazz and R&B.
They even called upon Louisiana-based artist George Rodrigue to liven up the casino’s plush poker room, with a dozen of his whimsical Blue Dog paintings, including “Luck Be a Lady.”
To make up for the lack of rooms and dining facilities on-site, Harrah’s created a “virtual hotel” around the property, incorporating dozens of nearby hotels and restaurants. It’s one way the property sets itself apart from the competition.
“There’s a diversity of hotels where we have managed room rates, some that normally are $69 a night and one, the Windsor Court, that has $300 rooms and has been named one of the best in the world,” said Jeff Hook, vice president of marketing for Harrah’s New Orleans.
Besides an ample buffet, there is a food court on the premises. If customers don’t mind standing up while noshing, they can enjoy tangy Cajun cuisine and other regional delicacies, including po’ boy sandwiches, red beans and rice, and Lucky Dogs, a local favorite made famous in the novel “A Confederacy of Dunces.”
In another brainstorm, Total Gold club members — including those who got their cards in Vegas or at Harrah’s East Chicago and Joliet boats — can add to their rewards points total, or collect benefits, in New Orleans.
“We are part of the Total Gold program that allows people to earn comps in any market that Harrah’s operates in and trade them in for things like free hotel rooms and restaurants off site,” said Hook. “We have programs here where you earn your complimentaries, and the slips are good at such participating restaurants as Arnaud’s and some of the Brennans’ restaurants.”
Business is “moving up,” Hook insists. “We opened at $16.2 million in November. Then we grew a little bit in December, even though it’s our worst month for tourism, and half of our business is related to tourism.”
The Sugar Bowl and new-millennium festivities — as well as a NATPE television convention — helped fill the coffers in January. This month, Mardi Gras tested the limits of the property, which, by law, is limited to 14,000 souls, but starts getting really crowded at about the 9,000 mark.
In the months since Harrah’s New Orleans opened, casinos along the Gulf Coast have taken a bit of a financial hit, bringing their revenues back to the approximate level they were last spring, before Mirage Resorts opened its lavish 1,780-room Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Miss.
Since that $650 million mega-resort opened in March 1999, it has added another home-away-from-home for Cirque du Soleil, which already has two permanent theaters in Steve Wynn’s Las Vegas properties. “Alegria” currently is being staged in the troupe’s own 1,560-seat theater, and another Cirque production is expected to take its place in December, 2001.
Visitors also have been able to take advantage of southern Mississippi’s bounty of outdoors activities, including boating, fishing, golf and hunting.
Looking ahead, Harrah’s New Orleans plans to open several new meeting rooms on its second floor, where it also will promote sports events, including professional boxing matches.
IF YOU GO
HARRAH’S NEW ORLEANS
Located at the western end of Canal Street in downtown New Orleans, within walking distance of the Convention Center, French Quarter, Riverwalk and Aquarium of the Americas ( parking is available in a covered structure across the street). There are 17,000 hotel rooms in the vicinity and more than 300 restaurants.
ACCESSIBILITY
The casino is accessible to wheelchairs; no admission charge.
INFORMATION
877-277-GAME or 800-HARRAHS, or try www.harrahsneworleans.com.
BEAU RIVAGE
Located at 875 Beach Blvd., in Biloxi, Miss., about a 90-minute drive east of New Orleans.
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
Tickets for “Alegria” can be purchased by calling 888-566-7469 or 228-386-7777; www.cirquedusoleil.com. Prices are $45 for adults and $27.50 for children ages 5-12, plus tax. The theater is dark Monday and Tuesday.
INFORMATION
888-56-ROOMS or 228-386-7444; www.beaurivageresort.com.
