What Does That Mean For Its Future?
It’s no secret that, for years, state officials have been chomping at the bit to take control of the French Quarter. World famous and a massive economic driver in Louisiana’s most populous city, the hundreds of millions of dollars generated annually have not yet been fully captured and co-opted by out-of-town lawmakers and their well-heeled supporters; and the neighborhood’s businesses, history, and culture have been able to resist a growing pressure for full commodification. Now a confluence of events—driven by the impending arrival of Super Bowl LIX but also including the election of Jeff Landry as Governor, a lack of stewardship and enforcement in the neighborhood during COVID, and a politically weakened mayoral administration—have reinvigorated a push for change in the Quarter and opened up new opportunities for power brokers from around the state to finally stake a more permanent claim. While we are currently seeing a flurry of activity, what this means for the future of the French Quarter remains to be seen.
To be sure, calls to “clean up” the French Quarter are nearly as old as the Quarter itself—and it’s not always officials from outside New Orleans pushing for change. In early 2017, Mayor Mitch Landrieu released his “Citywide Public Safety Improvements” plan, which included a particular focus on the French Quarter, presenting a number of other nightlife districts as potential models for “improvement,” including Memphis’ Beale Street and New York City’s Times Square. The plan also suggested increasing limitations on the use of Jackson Square, including limiting access at certain times, curtailing the activities of street performers and tarot card readers, and more punitive enforcement towards artists by the Department of Revenue. While that plan was not fully implemented, similar ideas continue to resonate. Since at least 2018, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, citing the Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego, has been pushing a plan to “take the French Quarter and separate it and manage it separately,” with a significant increase in state oversight. While details of his proposal are scarce, we may have already had an advance look at his vision with the recent expansion of Troop NOLA’s presence in the Cabildo, which has already displaced some of the museum’s staff. So far it’s culture out, enforcement in.
Other clues about the developing plans for the French Quarter come from comments made by Michael Hecht, President and CEO of GNO Inc., and Governor Landry’s appointee to lead local preparations for the Super Bowl. Earlier this year, during a discussion of Governor Landry’s rollback of criminal justice reforms with conservative radio host Kaare Johnson, Hecht expressed his support of Mayor Giuliani’s transformation of Times Square, stating, “all the liberals used to like to beat up on Giuliani [saying] what’s he doing, it’s terrible… he’s, you know, shutting down Times Square and he’s going to ruin the character, and what’s he doing with the homeless people. But secretly they were thrilled. Because he was helping New York go on its way to become the safest big city in the word, to increasing real estate prices, increasing tourism.” Several months later, now leading the multi-agency enforcement sweeps on Bourbon Street for the governor, Hecht once again appeared on Johnson’s program and made comments that strongly suggest he is applying the Giuliani approach to the French Quarter. Addressing comments critical of the sweeps, he said, “People are like, ‘You’re going to ruin the culture.’ I’m like, I think you misunderstand the culture. Like, shot girls are not the culture. Even the bucket bangers, those are actually kids being exploited. They’re not, that’s not the culture. I mean, if you want the culture we should redevelop what’s going on in Congo Square.”
What Hecht seems to be missing in his comments is that critics aren’t defending illegal alcohol sales or child exploitation, but they are concerned—rightfully so, based on the history of some law enforcement agencies participating in the sweeps—that human and constitutional rights won’t be respected. The view he expresses of culture is also myopic. When people speak about the loss of “culture,” they aren’t always talking about jazz music, brass bands, or street vending, but rather their fear of losing a unique place where street musicians can become stars, where a hustle can become a career path, and where anyone can feel free to explore their idiosyncrasies and artistry—or where maybe they can just let loose a little. That’s not all there is to the French Quarter, but it’s always been part of the neighborhood’s identity and appeal. Applying the Times Square treatment to the French Quarter might raise real estate values, but it will certainly kill what makes the neighborhood special.
We have already seen how the “shock and awe” approach of the large multi-agency sweeps can lead to cultural collateral damage. On Monday, August 5—notably, the same week the enhanced Bourbon Street sweeps were launched—French Market security began telling street musicians on French Market property that, as per new policy, they now needed a permit to perform anywhere on French Market property. Not only that, they said, but the City and state had now come to an agreement and permits were required for musicians and vendors everywhere in the French Quarter. It turns out that none of this was true. Now, the question is: Was this a one-time misrepresentation by a small group of law enforcement officials that has now been corrected, or a harbinger of more problems to come?
Everyone understands that concerns about the current state of the French Quarter are legitimate. Sidewalks and street corners are crumbling. It stinks. Far too many streetlights are out. Violent crime is a persistent problem and people often feel unsafe. All of these are issues that have been allowed to fester and are in dire need of a real—and sustained—solution. But the individuals making these decisions, how they are implemented, and who they impact matters. It’s possible to have a clean, safe, and culturally vibrant French Quarter that creates opportunity for people of all walks of life and income levels. Whether that will happen is currently an open question. Is the future of the Quarter constant sweeps or greater stewardship? Are officials looking for compliance or consequences? And, most importantly: Who is really going to benefit?
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