New Orleans, like many major cities, suffers from high crime. The city has become famous for its food, Mardi Gras, and murder. So far this year, New Orleans has 59 murders.
This has some tourism officials worried. Among those is the man in charge of promoting tourism for the state of Louisiana, Republican Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. Nungesser worries that the declining conditions in the city of New Orleans could scare off tourists and conventions. Tourism is a major source of income for the state of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans.
According to The New Orleans Advocate, Nungesser has called the city’s crime and homeless problem “embarrassing” and called the terrible condition of the city’s streets and the lights that don’t work in the French Quarter “disappointing.” Nungesser has more or less told the city of New Orleans to get their act together.
But New Orleans officials, who are all Democrats, have a different view of the city’s problems than Lt. Governor Nungesser. They see it as a part of the city’s “charm”, much to the annoyance of some of the residents.
From The New Orleans Advocate:
Likewise, Stephen Perry, head of the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the French Quarter grapples with the same issues that plague most urban areas.
“The one thing about New Orleans is that it’s not perfect,” Perry said. “It’s not a theme park. One of the great draws here is that this is one of the last real, authentic, gritty places to go, and I think the fact that it is so authentic and real means that it has something.”
Some residents and business owners say their tolerance for such “grittiness” has limits.
“Billy Nungesser can say what he wants about the French Quarter, but we as a city are failing on an infrastructure level (throughout the city). Absolutely failing,” said James “Trey” Monaghan, whose family owns Molly’s at the Market in the 1100 block of Decatur Street.
According to The Hayride, New Orleans officials have a long history of downplaying the city’s problems. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu has assured tourists that they’re as safe as anyone else in the city.
But if locals are not that safe in the city of New Orleans, where does that leave tourists? Instead of treating the city’s crime problem as a theme park attraction, perhaps the city should try and solve it.
AAN Staff
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