New Orleans Roars Back This Holiday Season as Bowl Central

NEW ORLEANS — Still suffering the economic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, an eager Big Easy is prepared for three college bowl games in 17 days, highlighting the city's return as a top tourist destination, New Orleans residents say.

"It's a dream come true," said Dickie Brennen, a member of New Orleans' first family of restaurateurs.

"Nobody has ever had three major college football bowls in the same season before," said Bill Curl, a spokesman for the Superdome, the site of the post-season games. "Everybody is happy about it. The whole city is happy. Tourism is the engine that drives the economy here."

On Friday night, Florida Atlantic University, from the Sunbelt Conference, will play the University of Memphis, from Conference USA, in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. On New Year's night, the University of Georgia, from the Southeastern Conference, will play the University of Hawaii, from the Western Athletic Conference, in the Nokia Sugar Bowl. And on Jan. 7, Louisiana State University, from the Southeastern Conference, will play Ohio State University, from the Big Ten, in the Bowl Championship Series national title game.

While the other games are annual affairs, the BCS title game rotates between the host cities of major bowls and this season it is New Orleans' turn.

The students who come for the games will fill the rowdy bars of Bourbon Street while the older, well-heeled alumni will frequent the famed — and expensive — restaurants, tourism industry officials agreed. And they're all ready to celebrate that their team has earned a place in a post-season bowl.

"Bowl visitors are fantastic," said Jay Cicero, president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, a nonprofit group promoting sports events in the city, including the New Orleans Bowl.

"They're all big supporters of their schools," said Cicero. "They're willing to travel further, stay a few more days, spend more money. So, yes, they have greater economic impact."

Whether following their beloved Bulldogs, Buckeyes or Owls, the college football fans "get swept up in it. They tend to say, 'Let's experience New Orleans like we should.' They go to good restaurants. They may imbibe a bit," explained Fred Sawyers, president of the Greater New Orleans Hotel and Lodging Association. "They tend to open their pocketbooks."

"Everyone is in a great mood," said Brennen, the owner of Dickie Brennen's Steakhouse, Bourbon House, Mr. B's Bistro and Palace Cafe. His relatives own the original Brennen's, Commander's Palace, Ralph's on the Park and The Redfish Grill. "And on top of everything, a local team is involved in the national championship game," said Brennen, an LSU grad who promised to "behave myself until I leave the restaurant and go to the game."

A University of New Orleans economic impact study showed that a normal Sugar Bowl brings about $150 million into the city and the BCS championship game is projected to generate another $250 million, said Mark Romig, president of the Sugar Bowl.

"The New Orleans Bowl's impact is less but still significant," said Romig. The fan bases for Florida Atlantic and Memphis are smaller but the game helps fill hotel rooms and restaurants at a time near Christmas when there are few conventions, the tourism officials said.

The Superdome holds about 72,000 fans. But for both the Sugar Bowl and national championship games, two or three times as many more people will come to celebrate and cheer than can fit into the Superdome, said Romig.

During the typical Sugar Bowl, the French Quarter and downtown are so crowded "that this becomes a walking city," he said.

"Many people come down hoping for a ticket but end up partying outside the stadium. They're singing fight songs all up and down Bourbon Street," Romig said. Even during the games, the streets of the French Quarter are full of revelers, he said.

At Nawlins Sports, a souvenir shop located a couple of blocks up Decatur Street from Cafe Du Monde, there are already National Championship Game T-shirts featuring LSU vs. Ohio State on sale for $19.99. There are also red and black Mardi Gras-like beads with a Bulldog pendant, purple and gold LSU beads with a Tiger and scarlet and gray Ohio State beads with a big "O."

"We've ordered Hawaii beads" — which are green and white with a "rainbow warrior," said Marguerite Waller, the store manager. "I think we're going to do well with Hawaii. It's the first time they've been in a BCS bowl. You have to know about the schools. Last year, everyone said Notre Dame fans were rich and they'd buy a lot but they didn't. Georgia does fine" in making purchases.

The Crescent City welcomes the credit cards of college football fans because free-spending visitors have been scarcer since Hurricane Katrina blew into New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2005. Recovery from the historic storm is still far from complete.

In October, the greater New Orleans population was about 288,057, compared to 454,863 in July of 2005 — "just before Katrina," said Greg Rigamer, president of GCR and Associates, a Louisiana demographics firm. "We're right at two-thirds back," he said.

University of Georgia fans who come to the game won't see a significantly different downtown and French Quarter than when the Dawgs played the Florida State Seminoles in the 2003 Sugar Bowl, said Rigamer, whose three daughters graduated from UGA. Only if fans venture into the Ninth Ward, Lakeview and New Orleans East will they see the lingering devastation, he noted.

However, there is a shortage of housing for poor residents who have returned. Protesters have decried plans to demolish several public housing projects that were damaged by Katrina and have yet to be repaired enough for habitation.

On Thursday, a brawl between protesters and police erupted outside the New Orleans City Council chamber shortly after the council convened to take a vote on demolishing a group of housing projects.

Rigamer estimated that there are 12,000 homeless people in New Orleans. He said comparisons can't be made for pre-Katrina because no one was counting this population then. A tent city for the homeless has sprung up on the grounds of City Hall, several blocks from the Superdome.

Glenn Washington, who occupies one of the donated tents, wore a gold and purple LSU football T-shirt.

"I've been a fan all my life. I was born and raised in New Orleans," said Washingon, who moved to Los Angeles to live with a friend after Katrina. He came back last year and has second-guessed his decision every day. The house he rented just outside the Garden District lost its roof and the landlord hasn't seen fit to repair it. So Washington works odd jobs as a carpenter's helper and lives in the tent community with scores of others whose plights are similar.

"Of course, I'm scared. I don't know these people and they don't know me," he said. "I mostly stay to myself. My main thing is to find a permanent job and get back in a house again."

Rigamer said federal and state funds for rebuilding are finally being released so construction jobs will be plentiful soon.

The Superdome is better than it was before Katrina, said Curl. A total of $195 million has been spent on repairs and upgrades, with funds coming from the Federal Emergency Management Administration and from refinancing construction bonds. Work on the Superdome received a higher priority than some other projects for a couple of reasons, he said.

"One, the Superdome has become the symbol of New Orleans' recovery. Since Katrina, it is the most recognizable landmark in the state," said Curl. The plight of the people who fled their flooded domes for shelter in the Superdome showed what was wrong during Katrina and the rebuilt Superdome shows what has gone right in the recovery, he said.

"Two, we needed to get it back in commerce," said the Superdome spokesman. When the broadcast team at a football game in the Superdome mentions the dinner they enjoyed the night before at a French Quarter restaurant, the free advertising is an economic boost, Curl added.

He said a University of New Orleans survey showed that a significant percentage of Americans believe New Orleans is still under water. Some overhead shots from a blimp at the bowl games could dispel that myth, he said.

Sawyers said New Orleans has 22,000 to 24,000 hotel rooms now — about 1,800 fewer than before Katrina. The Hyatt is scheduled to reopen in 2009, as will the Fairmont, which will become a Waldorf Astoria, he said. Like the Superdome, many of the hotels have upgraded while making repairs.

All the hotels are virtually sold out for Jan. 5, 6 and 7 for the BCS game and Dec. 31 for the Sugar Bowl, he said.

Sawyers is general manager of the New Orleans Hilton Riverside, the hotel that will serve as official home for the University of Georgia at the Sugar Bowl and Ohio State for the BCS game. Located a couple of blocks away, the New Orleans Marriott will be the official host for the University of Hawaii and, a week later, for LSU.

During the Sugar Bowl, the Hilton's second-floor bar will become the "Dawg Pound" or "Ugaville," said Sawyers. For the BCS, it will be "Bucktown" or "Buckeyeville."

In the French Quarter, merchants are gearing up for the influx of hard-partying students.

"We are a hub for college-age people and these bowls make a huge difference for us," said Shelley Waguespack, a spokesperson for Pat O'Brien's, the Royal Street bar that is home of the hurricane, a potent rum drink with a recipe dating to the 1940s. Pat O'Brien's has been open for 75 years and three or four generations of bowl-bound students have partied by its flaming fountain.

And for some free-spending visiting Bulldog fans, Vintage 429, an autograph and artifact shop on Royal Street, has a to-die-for souvenir in its front window: A University of Georgia football helmet that Herschel Walker has signed just above the "G" on one side.

The Heisman Trophy winner's autograph is authenticated, said Antoinette DeAlteriis, the store manager. The price: $1,250.