“We have ultimately provided another reason to come to New Orleans,” explains Jim Hoskins, senior vice president and general manager for Harrah’s New Orleans. Among the 44-plus Harrah’s properties currently operating worldwide, the New Orleans venue is the only one not in a major casino market. Situated near the banks of the Mississippi River, the dome-shaped casino is located directly between the French Quarter and the city’s central business district. “I think initially among the local community there was a little concern that a large corporate entity was coming in with a food-and-drink component that would challenge local businesses,” observes Mary Beth Romig, spokesperson for New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, “but it’s proven to be a great spur for local growth.”

But in a city that prides itself on local focus and a world-renowned tradition of hospitality, the arrival of a sizable corporate concept raised some eyebrows. Harrah’s New Orleans opened in 1999 as a casino operation with a plethora of nightlife and dining options planned. In fact, Harrah’s New Orleans stands out in terms of monetary donations, successful revitalization efforts and new economic investment in a city many feared might not survive. As we now find ourselves in the 2009 hurricane season - it runs from June 1 to November 30 - one food-and-beverage operation in particular remains a stronghold that the city’s residents, visitors and developers can sink dollars and teeth into, which is quite a claim since Katrina.

The damage ended up being minimal, a blessing for a city that still struggles to achieve normalcy at this late date.

Speculation on what New Orleans would become if Gustav made direct landfall ranged from unadulterated doom to tenacious hope - the same hope the city has been known for since flooding from Hurricane Katrina ravaged it three years prior. Last fall, an audible breath was drawn and held as people watched the green circle representing Hurricane Gustav blip across television and computer screens worldwide.

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