NEW ORLEANS — Never a city short on color, New Orleans has been looking positively brightly adorned in recent days, as the city undergoes its makeover for Super Bowl LIX.
Murals have sprung up all over downtown, along with big, bold placards and advertisements, signaling that the city with a reputation for throwing a great party is once again hosting the biggest sports party of them this week.
This year’s Super Bowl logo and art style feature a colorful beadwork design, inspired by the local Black Masking tradition. That unique form of expression was created by Black Americans who were excluded from mainstream Mardi Gras celebrations for much of the city’s history and continues today.
The commissioned art, designed by local artist Tahj “Queen Tahj” Williams, incorporates bright red, green and yellow colors, and that theme is on display on the streets surrounding the Caesars Superdome, the site of this year’s game.
“I wanted the rest of the world to see what I saw when I saw this culture for the first time here in New Orleans,” Williams told Reuters.
Megan Braden-Perry, a local entertainment and culture reporter, sees the ramp up in accompanying events being typical for such a huge occasion. From drag brunches and celebrity-centered events to more typical tailgates and fan fests, New Orleans is hosting a buffet of entertainment options for hungry visitors.
According to Braden-Perry, the city prides itself on being “built to host,” and that comes directly from the people within the community who are experienced through decades of hosting big celebrations.
“We are raised from little to grow up and work in the service industry or retail, with a lot of jobs being concentrated downtown,” Braden-Perry said. “If we are still here working, we are absolutely still here hosting.”
Kevin Pedeaux, owner of CR Coffee Shop and operator of the St. Roch Market, agrees that the community is ready for the influx of tourists that some estimates put in the neighborhood of over 100,000 visitors.
“There has never been a better time to come to New Orleans since I’ve been alive,” Pedeaux said. “We are so excited to host this huge event and have visitors in our beloved city again. We want to share New Orleans with the world.”
That spirit to host has yet to be dampened, despite some recent challenges.
Most seriously, the city endured a terror attack on January 1, in which a man drove a truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 14 and injuring dozens of others.
That incident called security for Super Bowl LIX into greater question. Cathy Lanier, chief security officer for the NFL, revealed Wednesday in a call with reporters that security has been ramped up in the wake of that tragedy, though she declined to get into too many specifics, emphasizing the importance of flexibility.
Still, she acknowledged that thousands of federal, state and local law enforcement officials are on hand while noting that “this team is ready” following almost two years of planning. She added that the league has received “no specific or credible threats.”
“I think the most important thing is, very clear and unequivocal, saying without hesitation that we are really confident in our security plan going into the Super Bowl,” Lanier said.
Anecdotally, Pedeaux saw business slow in the wake of that attack, though a more recent snowstorm, in which New Orleans saw 10 inches of snow in a single day — the biggest snowfall since at least 1895 — had a much greater impact on business and Super Bowl preparations.
“It was looking like we were finally picking up again, and then the snowstorm pulled the rug out from us again,” Pedeaux said.
But with snow melted, security in place, and Mardi Gras right around the corner, the community is excited to once again put its best foot forward.
“We New Orleanians are happy to show both teams and their fans a fun and safe time, and we hope they make lifelong memories here,” Braden-Perry said.
Pedeaux echoed the sentiment.
“We’re ready … Come be a part of the excitement!”
–David Gladow, Field Level Media
