Region Q1 2023

MIC’D UP WITH DJ RAJ SMOOVE, THE GREATEST DJ IN THE WORLD

PARTNERSHIPS, EXPANSIONS, & INVESTMENTS BOOST HEALTHCARE

HARRAH’S CONTINUES TO PIONEER DESTINATION GAMBLING

Greater New Orleans, Inc.

President & CEO

Michael Hecht

Vice President of Business Development

Josh Fleig

Chief of Staff

Rachel Shields

Vice President of Brand & Marketing

Matt Wolfe

Business Development & Research Manager

Chantilly Benitez

Vice President of Advancement

Sara Bradford

Renaissance Publishing

Editor Drew Hawkins

Art Director Ali Sullivan

Account Director Meggie Schmidt

Production Manager

Rosa Balaguer

Production Designer

Meghan Rooney

Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne

Welcome to the Q1 issue of REGION Magazine! For our cover story, we explore the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, the venue which serves as the first impression of the region that visitors get when they arrive. The unveiling of the new MSY terminal just over two years ago radically changed what people see from our city. From the awe-inspiring architecture that created wide-open spaces to new amenities such as first-class dining, lounges, and local retailers, the airport is something to be remembered. And now, the facility is regarded as one of the best in the country, by aviation experts and travelers alike.

When it comes to the business side of music, New Orleans has starting to catch up on delivering the management, legal, marketing, and licensing support that Louisiana artists need. To help grow that side of the industry, GNO, Inc. has helped put together a unique apprenticeship, MIC’D UP, that helps connect the next generation of music professionals with local companies that are working with performers from our region and beyond.

In addition to being a region that nurtures the soul, Greater New Orleans is also home to some of the nation’s leading healthcare providers. As medical innovation continues to drive change, local systems such as LCMC and Ochsner are evolving to offer new programming, easier access to care, and improving the overall patient experience.

Bigger is always better when it comes to entertainment, and Harrah’s New Orleans has embraced that mantra as the facility undergoes a massive renovation and expansion of offerings. Over the past several years, the casino complex has added an incredible live music venue in the form of The Fillmore, launched a brand-new sportsbook on site, and is currently expanding its footprint to deliver even more high-quality excitement to our region.

Finally, you’ll be introduced to introduced to Patrick Cresson or OUTFRONT Media, a remarkable business leader who balances running a major outdoor advertising operation with supporting impactful business organizations in the region such as GNO, Inc.

MICHAEL HECHT GNO, Inc. President & CEO

RELATIONSHIPS . RELEVANCE. RESULTS .

Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.) is the economic development nonprofit for the 10-parish region of southeast Louisiana.

GNO, Inc. is built on a simple but broad mission: To create a region with a thriving economy and excellent quality of life for everyone.

The key is GNO, Inc.’s two-pronged approach to economic growth: by focusing on business development, the alliance aims to attract, retain and develop businesses that will employ our future workforce, propelling our economy forward and upward. This initiative is coupled with a concurrent nurturing of the business environment: by proposing, promoting and facilitating policies that improve conditions for business operations, GNO, Inc. ensures that businesses and corporate leaders are

positioned for long-lasting success.

For GNO, Inc., it is not enough to simply serve the community: we must also be a part of it. Real influence and significant change starts from within, and the alliance’s presence in the community is evident and expanding. Working together with the business community, regional stakeholders and all levels of government allows GNO, Inc. to coordinate, consolidate and catalyze action on key issues and opportunities, effectively maximizing job and wealth creation and creating systemic impact.

From workforce development and coastal stabilization to fiscal and criminal justice reform, GNO, Inc. is driven by results. It’s helping to create a robust and growing middle class and, in the process, ensuring our region’s continued prosperity.

10

PARISHES OF SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA

JEFFERSON ORLEANS

PLAQUEMINES

ST. BERNARD

ST. CHARLES

ST. JAMES

ST. JOHN

THE BAPTIST

ST. TAMMANY

Jefferson

Orleans

Plaquemines

St. Bernard

St. Charles

St. James

St. John the Baptist

St. Tammany

Tangipahoa

Washington

STAKEHOLDERS

Our Investors

Parish Government Colleges/ Universities

Legislators

Business Community

Nonprofits

Influencers

TANGIPAHOA

WASHINGTON

Greater New Orleans BY

THE NUMBERS Q4 2022

An economic snapshot of Greater New Orleans’ 10-parish market

EMPLOYMENT & ECONOMY STATISTICS

POPULATION

1,442,076

31% of Louisiana’s population resides in Greater New Orleans

SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, 2021

EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS

$60,424

Metro Average Annual Wages

SOURCE: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, Q4 2021

SECTOR OVERVIEW: TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS

JOBS

81,873

ECONOMY

50,001 Private Establishments

SOURCE: BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED, Q2 2022

671,602

Civilian Labor Force

SOURCE: LIGHTCAST 9/22

AVERAGE SALARY $64,823 GDP $7.6B

SOURCE: LIGHTCAST

56,314 Unique Job Postings

SOURCE: LIGHTCAST, NOVEMBER 2022 DATA

3.8% Regional Unemployment

SOURCE: LIGHTCAST 9/22

FAST FACTS: TRANSPORTATION & TRADE

ANNOUNCEMENTS

RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Youth Empowerment Project Receives Major Donation

In July, The Rusovich Foundation announced a direct $100,000 donation to the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP), as part of The NOLA Coalition’s pledge to raise five million per year for youth services, over three years, for a total of fifteen million invested in high-impact New Orleans nonprofits. This generous support is in response to the Coalition’s pledge to invest in positive generational change for young people in New Orleans. The funds were provided directly to YEP, and will immediately be used to support the organization’s activities and services in the local community.

TRADE $12.4B

Value of Exports from the New Orleans Metro Area #5

Largest U.S. metro measured by value of exports

SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU; U.S. EXPORTS BY METROPOLITAN AREA, Q2 2022

COST OF LIVING & REAL ESTATE

OVERALL COST OF LIVING

GNO Region: 99.3

U.S. Average: 100

SOURCE: LIGHTCAST

REAL ESTATE OFFICE

Local Vacancy: 7.0%

National Vacancy: 12.5%

Local Rent: $20.52/ft2

National Rent: $35.18/ft2

Local Inventory: 53.5M ft2

INDUSTRIAL

Local Vacancy: 2.0%

National Vacancy: 4.0%

Local Rent: $9.27/ft2

National Rent: $11.03/ft2

Local Inventory: 81.8M ft2

SOURCE: COSTAR

RANKINGS

RECENT RANKINGS

Greater New Orleans ranks #8 in the USA in number of entrepreneurs per capita —Commodity.com

Louisiana’s four-year public and private colleges and universities are #4 in the USA for providing social mobility to students —2022 Social Mobility Index

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport has been named one of three Best Airports in North America (5-15M passengers) —Airports Council International

Louisiana is #5 in USA for Growth in Digital Entrepreneurs —Amazon

New Orleans is ranked #1 for Logistics and FTZ Imports —Business Facilities

New Orleans is the #4 Most Entrepreneurial Metro in USA —Cloud Kitchens

GNO, Inc.’s mission is to create a Greater New Orleans with a thriving economy and an excellent quality of life, for everyone. For more information about the market, or help with your business, please contact our Research and Business Development team:

Chantilly Benitez Business Development & Research Manager hcrabtree@gnoinc.org

Josh Fleig Vice President of Business Development jfleig@gnoinc.org

*Due to data collection methods, previous GNO By the Numbers are not directly comparable

Fly the Friendly NOLA Skies

MSY connects the Crescent City to the world.

BY FRITZ ESKER

New Orleans has long been a tourist mecca for both American and international visitors. In 2019, more than 19 million people visited the city. Airports serve as an introduction to a visitor’s experience in a city and can set the tone for the trip to follow. A topnotch destination deserves a top-notch airport, and on

November 6, 2019, the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) opened its new terminal on Loyola Drive in Kenner. After surviving the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more visitors are being introduced to this Crescent City gem.

“Completing the new $1 billion, 35-gate terminal facility at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Air -

port is a major source of pride,” said Kevin Dolliole, Director of Aviation for Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. “It drastically improved the first thing visitors see when they arrive in New Orleans.”

Airport officials aren’t the only ones singing the praises of the new terminal. It has won awards from many publications and organizations. It won Best Large Airport in North America from J.D. Power’s 2021 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, Best Airport in North America (5-15 million passengers) from Airports Council International World’s 2021-22 ASQ Program, Best Overall Concessions Program, Best Concessions Program Design and Best Local-Inspired Restaurant (Emeril’s Table) for the 2023 Airport Experience Awards (medium/small airports division), Best Hygiene Measures in North America for Airports Council International World’s 2020-21 ASQ program and Most Efficient Airport in North America (among those serving 5-15 million passengers per year) for the Air Transport Research Society and Fastest Airport Pickup for Uber in 2022.

The new terminal, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli, features abundant natural light and open spaces. It stretches over 987,000 square feet and three concourses. From a square footage perspective, the new terminal is smaller than the old one, but architects wanted to create a more streamlined, efficient experience for travelers. There are a wide variety of shopping and dining options including local eateries like Emeril’s Table, Ye Olde College Inn, Lucky Dogs, MoPho, Angelo Brocato, and Dook’s Burgers as well as popular chain options like Chick-fil-A, Shake Shack, Chili’s, and Starbucks. There are also local clothing merchants like Fleurty Girl and Dirty Coast.

In the old terminal, there were separate security checkpoints for each concourse. So, if a traveler was leaving out of one concourse, but their favorite restaurant was in another concourse, they were out of luck. But the new terminal features a single security checkpoint, so no matter what concourse a traveler’s flight departs from they can enjoy any of the dining or shopping options in the airport.

While the excitement was tangible when the new terminal opened in November 2019, the airport immediately faced a potentially devastating challenge when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, dramatically curbing all air travel. But MSY was able to continue its critical operations as a transportation asset for the region. To keep things running safely and smoothly, the airport launched MSY Travel Ready in June 2020, a strategic and comprehensive plan to outline safety precautions which included promoting physical distancing through additional signage throughout the terminal, frequent sanitization, installation of plexiglass barriers, and requiring face coverings for everyone.

Dolliolle said that flight operations were significantly impacted, reaching its low in April 2020. But by the end of 2022, passenger activity was at 87% of 2019’s levels. By the end of 2023, MSY expects to meet 2019 levels of activity.

In recent years, international flights have increased at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. GNO Inc. has played an important role in securing those flights, something GNO Inc.’s president and CEO Michael Hecht is very proud of. British Airways reintroduced direct flights from New Orleans to London in 2017 after three years of GNO Inc. presenting data and developing relationships with the airline.

“We had to convince British Airways there was enough business and leisure demand,” Hecht said.

Hecht said a challenge in bringing international flights back to New Orleans was convincing the city was fully recovered from Hurricane Katrina. He said as recently as 2015 he heard people say they thought parts

The key for our growth at MSY is collaboration and partnership, and GNO Inc. has been there with us every step of the way to ensure we are putting our best foot forward. ”

“

of New Orleans were still devastated from the 2005 levee failures during Katrina.

“The images and misconceptions about Katrina were pervasive and persistent,” Hecht said.

Having direct connections abroad means international travelers can shorten their travel days by not having to connect through busy airports like JFK, O’Hare, or Hartsfield. Other direct international flights from the airport include ones to Montreal and Cancun. The hope remains that even more international flights will be added to MSY’s repertoire in the near future. Hecht said they are currently lobbying for Air France to bring direct flights from New Orleans to Paris for 2024-25. A direct flight to and from Istanbul from Turkish Airways is also a goal for MSY.

“The airport is consistently working to analyze demand in the market for both domestic and international flights and make the case to airlines that can offer new service,” Dolliole said. “Having international service allows us to connect more and more people from around the world to everything New Orleans has to offer.”

It is not just international carriers that are attracted to the new terminal. Breeze Airways set up its operations in New Orleans. Breeze is a low-cost airline that

provides direct routes to secondary airline markets like Raleigh, Little Rock, Providence, and Jacksonville. Hecht noted Breeze’s arrival brings well-paying maintenance and repair jobs to the Crescent City.

Hecht said GNO Inc. is also working to support efforts to redevelop the old terminal for commercial and airport-related uses (e.g. logistics, office space), such as the three new lounges (United, Delta, and The Club at MSY), which are used heavily by business travelers. They have also helped put up messaging in the airport alerting visitors to all the New Orleans area has to offer, including some less common sights like the space rocket assembly facility in Michoud.

Dolliole said the airport appreciates the contributions of GNO Inc.

“The key for our growth at MSY is collaboration and partnership, and GNO Inc. has been there with us every step of the way to ensure we are putting our best foot forward. They have been a valuable partner in ensuring that the New Orleans market remains innovative and competitive, which ultimately leads to increased demand for flights to and from MSY,” Dolliole said.

Looking at future developments, locals await the opening of the Interstate-10 flyover ramp to connect drivers to the new terminal. The Louisiana Department of Transportation Development expects the project to be partially complete by fall 2023 and fully complete by early 2024. When completed,

Having international service allows us to connect more and more people from around the world to everything New Orleans has to offer.”

westbound drivers on I-10 will be able to reach the airport via a flyover lane and another flyover lane will service drivers leaving the airport toward New Orleans. A diverging diamond interchange will be built below the flyover lanes at Loyola Avenue and Veterans Boulevard.

There are other exciting future developments for MSY as well. Airport officials are currently working on a master plan to outline the next 20 years of development for the facility.

“The priority for the plan is to provide a road map for efficiently meeting the airport’s aeronautical needs through the foreseeable future while preserving the flexibility necessary to respond to changing industry conditions,” Dolliole said.

There is also a passenger rail line connecting New Orleans and Baton Rouge under development. An important aspect of this service would be a stop at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The airport’s InterCity Rail Connector Project will provide a connection for the last mile from the new rail stop at the south side of the airport to the existing passenger terminal on the north. There will also be an intermodal station and an automated people mover (APM) to transport the rail commut -

ers back and forth. The APM will also connect to the south airport campus where economy parking, employee parking, and rental car facilities are located. The intermodal station will also serve as a bus transit hub, which will provide affordable travel options to MSY for disadvantaged communities who live near the airport and along the rail corridor.

“This project will provide improved connectivity for passengers, employees, and residents among other economic and environmental benefits,” Dolliole said, “and is a critical element of the next phase of MSY expansion.”

Making the Mecca

The MIC’D UP Initiative

BY DREW HAWKINS

For every great DJ, it all starts with a name. For DJ Raj Smoove, it started with his father, Roger — he was named after him.

“Growing up, everybody always called me ‘little Rog,’ and when I was coming up in hip hop, all the DJs had two names, like Mannie Fresh and Jazzy Jeff,” Raj said.

After hearing a remix of the Digital Underground track “Doowutchyalike,” where a breakdown included the DJ saying “Smooooove,” little Rog took it and ran. Thus, DJ Raj Smoove was born.

Raj, who would go on to be known as “The Greatest DJ in the World” thanks to superstar and New Orleans-native rapper, Lil Wayne, started out small. “I was in the eighth grade, in junior high, at Livingston Middle School, in the East,” Raj said. “That’s where I met most of my crew I came up with.”

Raj and his crew would spend time after school and on weekends hanging out, creating beats and rapping together. For the next few years, they performed wherever they could. While other teenagers were out mowing lawns for extra cash or playing sports — or getting into trouble — Raj was obsessively making music. He even managed to make some money with a few small local gigs. When he was 14, for example, a friend hired him to spin records at a birthday part in New Orleans East.

His big break happened through a chance connection. His father was dating Allison Miner, the legendary music promoter and manager of iconic New Orleans musicians and groups like the Wild Magnolias, Rebirth Brass Band, and Professor Longhair. She also managed the grandstand stage at Jazz Fest — that stage is now named in her honor. Miner heard the young DJ Raj Smoove and his crew perform, and she gave them a shot.

“She was like, ‘Hey, I’ll put y’all on my stage during Jazz Fest,” Raj said. “I’m 15 years old and I’m on stage at Jazz Fest. So that was our first big thing.”

Raj also said that performance was his first experience working in a managerial position. He handled all of the group’s advance work: making sure tickets were sold, signing contracts, coordinating rehearsals — making sure everyone of his crew of teenagers showed up on time — and just playing the general role of a music manager.

“It was weird you know, because I’m very young and I know nothing. I just know want to be like Tribe Called Quest,” Raj said with a laugh. “Like I’m trying to live my Jazzy Jeff dreams.” Today, Raj runs The Gentilly Agency, his music artist management company.

DJ Raj Smoove’s career and list of collaborations is unreal. In addition to Lil Wayne, he’s worked with hip-hop icons like Mannie Fresh, 5th Ward Weebie, and NBA Youngboy. His talent and natural knack for music isn’t limited to hip hop either. Raj has collaborated with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Tarriona “Tank” Ball of Tank and The Bangas, and PJ Morton. He’s been on multiple television and radio shows. Raj is true New Orleans music icon.

And he credits it all with someone willing to take a chance on him while he was a young artist. Raj said he was lucky to have a personal connection that gave him his big break, and because he loves his home city so much, he decided to stay in New Orleans, while many other artists would leave for bigger cities once they managed to break into the industry.

“The major record labels are mainly in LA and New York,” Raj said. “So if you wanted to find a publicist that really had like a nationwide rolodex, the contacts, you would have to go to New York or LA, or places like Nashville.”

Raj said he hopes to change that and put New Orleans back on the musical map. That’s why he’s a part of the “MIC’D UP” program, which aims to help keep music artists and the resources they need in the city — rather than taking their talents elsewhere.

“Instead of them being like, ‘Yo, I’m going to New York,’ maybe they’ll stay in New Orleans, and you know, possibly help everything to come up a little bit better. Because we need folks that are educated in these fields, who have a hunger and want to learn and want to engage in it.”

Launched by Greater New Orleans, Inc. as part of its New Orleans Music Economy initiative, the Music Industry Career Development University Partnership program, or MIC’D UP, seeks to develop programming for local college and university students that exposes them to the music industry in New Orleans. The first program that’s been launched is a yearlong music industry fellowship in partnership with local artist management agencies.

“Mentorship and making connections are so important to building a flourishing career in the business of music, and the fellowship is structured in a way to facilitate those experiences,” said Osmar Padilla, director of workforce programs at Greater New Orleans, Inc. “Over time, we hope to add more programs as part of MIC’D UP.”

Padilla said there are two broad challenges that the program is trying to address: the perception that you need to go to another city to “make it” in the music industry and the lack of formal career development or mentorship pathways into the industry. “We have everything right here in New Orleans for both aspiring artists and those that want to work in the business of music,” Padilla said. “We need to change the narrative by highlighting all of the great work coming out of NOLA.”

As with many creative industries, it’s about who you know and who can vouch for you. DJ Raj Smoove used every connection he had to his advantage, but many up-and-coming artists in the city may not have any connections at all. “Music is one of the first things that comes to mind when anyone thinks of New Orleans,” said Tavia Osbey, co-founder of MidCitizen Entertainment, an artist management firm in the city. Osbey works with folks like Tank and The Bangas and Alfred Banks. “When you hear New Orleans musicians and creatives, you get chills, you feel at home, and you feel free. I think that’s why people have always gravitated to our sound.”

Osbey said she and her partners started their artist management company here because they care about building the city’s music industry and keeping its authenticity alive while helping

artists see they can build successful careers at home. “It’s also important to me to help showcase the many styles of music in New Orleans,” Osbey said. “We’re not just a city that produces great jazz, but we also produce great gospel, R&B, soul, funk, hip hop, and poetry. I never knew how much this city or its music meant to me until I started managing Tank’s career. I want all of New Orleans’ musical contributions to be recognized in the way that they should.”

For a city with such a deep, rich history of music — we are the birthplace of jazz, after all — you’d think there would be more support for young artists. But while there’s plenty of talent, there aren’t many pathways to help connect that talent to the support it so often needs to thrive. For Raj, Padilla, and Osbey, it’s more a matter of bringing folks together to create that support system.

“As simple as it sounds, getting all of the appropriate stakeholders into the proverbial room is critical,” Padilla said. “There are so many interesting and impactful things happening locally, that it’s important to have avenues for our music industry to come together to share and see how we can all partner. Working collectively, we can bring New Orleans to the next level and truly become the mecca of music.”

Booster Shot

Investing in Louisiana’s Healthcare

BY KELLY HITE

With major healthcare partnerships, expansions, and investments underway, the stage is set for New Orleans to see a raft of improvements designed to increase medical staff numbers, provide greater access to healthcare for those traditionally underserved, and improve health outcomes for residents.

The policy groundwork for these improvements was recognized by City Health, an initiative of the de Beaumont Foundation and Kaiser Permanente, which awarded New Orleans a silver medal in recognition of the city’s efforts to improve people’s access to healthy choices and address critical health disparities in local communities.

MEDICAL STAFFING SHORTAGES

Part of this effort requires addressing medical staffing shortages—especially nurses. The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis projects a national shortage of 78,610 nurses in 2025 and a shortage of 63,720 in 2030. Louisiana is projected to have a 13% shortage of nurses in 2035. With over half of registered nurses reaching retirement age this decade and Covid-19 negatively impacting retention numbers, a strong pipeline of new nurses is needed.

The merging of LCMC Health with Tulane Medical Center, Lakeview Regional Medical Center, and Tulane Lakeside Hospital, aims to address medical staff shortages with the cre -

ation of a new nursing program. LCMC Health CEO Greg Feirn said “Through this partnership, Tulane University’s new nursing program will help address the nursing shortage in Louisiana by expanding the pipeline of students entering the nursing field—making meaningful progress towards addressing the 2,475 unfilled full-time nursing positions projected in New Orleans by 2025.”

The University Medical Center is already the largest training center for healthcare professionals in Louisiana and will welcome new staff from Tulane Medical Center over the next 12-24 months. In addition, the Charity Hospital and Tulane Medical Center will house expanded educational space for students, graduate programs in public health, social work, and medicine—as well as new clinical research programs.

LCMC Health is also partnering with LSU and Southern University to address nursing shortages. In November last year, LCMC Health, LSU Health New Orleans and the LSU Foundation announced a partnership to launch the LSU-LCMC Health Scholars Program for nursing students providing tuition and fees assistance to eligible students intending to pursue employment at LCMC Health. In addition, Southern University of New Orleans (SUNO) has signed a letter of intent to create the LCMC Health-SUNO Nurse Scholars program providing tuition-free enrollment at SUNO’s School of Nursing.

“We’ve invested in partnerships with Chamberlain, Holy Cross, LSU, Tulane and SUNO to either start nursing programs or provide financial support to current nursing students at these institutions,” Feirn said.

LCMC Health has also announced a $1.5 million donation to Xavier University to create and retain a diverse physician workforce in Louisiana. The donation provides direct financial assistance to outstanding students who otherwise would not have chosen pre-med, fellowships for exemplary graduate students in the LCMC Health Medical Pathways Program, and support for Xavier alumni who have completed medical school in the U.S. and have been accepted into a residency program with either LCMC Health, LSU School of Medicine, or Tulane School of Medicine.

Ochsner Health is addressing the medical staff shortage through its Ochsner Scholars program which provides tuition assistance, mentoring, and career coaching for aspiring nurses, allied health workers and physicians who pledge to serve as employees at Ochsner Health. The program is projected to benefit 3,000 students by 2025. There's also the new Ochsner Center for Nursing and Allied Health at Delgado and additional

$20 million in funding to support the programs, including to help build the new facility.

“A longer-term solution is our alignment and partnerships with universities, community colleges and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) schools to train nurses, physicians and other healthcare professionals,” said Pete November, CEO of Ochsner Health. “We collaborate with Delgado, Loyola, Tulane, Xavier, Holy Cross, LSU and others to create more ac -

cess to physician, nursing and healthcare education here in Louisiana.”

Ochsner has earmarked $15 million for nursing students over the next ten years as part of Loyola’s accelerated 17-month nursing degree program, with up to $37,500 going to ten prospective nurses if they work for Ochsner for 3-5 years after graduating. An additional $15 million will be provided to medical school students over the next five years.

In addition, Ochsner is addressing doctor shortages

by partnering with Xavier University. With a $2.4 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Ochsner and Xavier created the Ochsner-Xavier Institute for Health Equity Research (OXIHER) to boost the number of African American and Hispanic doctors, which are traditionally under-represented nationally. In February 2023, Ochsner and Xavier also announced an agreement to establish a joint College of Medicine to boost the number of new doctor graduates and address longstanding inequities in the nation’s health care system.

HEALTHY STATE BY 2030

Diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are already at epidemic levels in the USA and even higher in Louisiana. According to the 2022 Annual Report of America’s Health Rankings based on research conducted by the United Health Foundation in partnership with the American Public Health Association, Louisiana ranks at the very bottom of the list. Additional factors such as the number of children living in poverty, low birth weights, the number of smokers in the state, were included in the assessment of each state’s health with Louisiana at the bottom.

But initiatives by LCMC and Ochsner are helping to address the situation. Ochsner has adopted an ambitious vision for the state: to improve Louisiana’s health ranking to somewhere in the top 40 by 2030—just seven years away. “We recently formed a 38-member Healthy State Advisory Board, representing 35 organizations spanning multiple sectors, businesses, and industries,” November said. “By joining forces, Healthy State collectively represents 100,000 employees, educates over 200,000 students and cares for 4.6 million community members’ lives, all working together through a

common vision and commitment to a better Louisiana.” Improving Louisiana’s performance will require improving the health of Louisiana’s most vulnerable communities.

REACHING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

With support from Brittany and Drew Brees and their Brees Dream Foundation, Ochsner has committed more than $10 million for the Ochsner Community Health Brees Family Center in New Orleans East. Dubbed, “The Center,” the campus opened in 2020 and delivers primary and specialty care to underserved communities.

In January 2023, Ochsner also opened the Ochsner Medical Complex, a $115 million “super clinic” in Metairie providing a comprehensive suite of services to that area.

And in December last year, LCMC Health’s West Jefferson Medical Center opened the Centro Hispano de Salud, a Hispanic-first clinic located in Marrero. With bilingual staff, the Centro Hispano de Salud is in a better position to positively impact the more than 28% of Hispanic-Latino people who have indicated that they are not proficient in English.

MEDICAL STAFF DIVERSITY

Another factor that improves health outcomes for underrepresented groups such as people of color, people with disabilities, and people from a lower socioeconomic status, is increasing the number of doctors and other medical staff from those communities.

In February 2023, LCMC Health launched the “Minority Administrative Fellowship Program,” providing financial support to recent graduates to further develop their knowledge of hospital management and operations over the course of a year. Successful candidates who complete the program increase their chances of earning a full-time position with LCMC Health.

Both Ochsner and LCMC actively collaborate with community leaders and industry partners to identify potential candidates of color for their programs, partnering with the New Orleans Chapter of the National Association of Healthcare Service Executives (NAHSE) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This work helps historically underserved communities which thereby improves health outcomes for all patients, and in the process boosts Louisiana’s overall health ranking.

Ochsner Community Health Brees Family Center in New Orleans East

The Coronation of Caesars New Orleans

Harrah’s New Orleans Hotel & Casino’s long-standing and successful reign on New Orleans’ tourism and gambling industries.

BY FAITH MCLEAN

Pioneering the concept of destination gambling, Harrah’s New Orleans Hotel & Casino continues to transform the commercial horizon in Louisiana for both the gambling and tourism industries. From upscale gambling machines, full-service sport bars, fine dining restaurants, and turn-key event spaces, Harrah’s incapsulates

the New Orleans experience all under one 1861 Monte Carlo dome replica. Started as a $1 billion dollar project, in 1995, by American real estate mogul and developer, Christopher Hemmeter, Harrah’s launched the inevitable rise of the gambling industry in Louisiana, today, worth an estimated $2.38 billion dollars.

At the time, the gambling den was crowned, “The

World’s Largest Casino,” by Harrah’s Entertainment, now known as Caesars Entertainment. Currently, the casino reigns as an industry leader in entertainment tourism not just for Louisiana locals, but for American travelers. In 2024, Harrah’s will re-crown itself Caesars New Orleans with hopes of growing New Orleans’ tourism’s existing international market.

Due to the neighboring success stories of gambling hotels on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast in the 1980s and former-Governor Edwin Edwards’ authorization of a single land-based casino, on the famous corner of Canal and South Peters, Harrah’s initial investors projected the casino would attract one million additional visitors and generate hundreds of millions in revenue for the city, each year.

As of 2022, the prodigal predication holds strong. In the last fiscal year, Harrah’s brought home $228.3 million dollars in revenue, a 6.5% increase, from its $213.2 million in 2020, phasing the company out of the hospitality industry’s 2021 economic stagnation. Caesars Entertainment’s merger with Eldorado Resorts in 2019 contributed both to keeping New Orleans’ gambling industry afloat, as well as resurrecting the tourism industry post the 2020 pandemic.

Eager anticipation surrounds Harrah’s impending name change, current general manager and senior vice president — and proud native New Orleanian — Samir Mowad said, “We are hoping with Caesars name brand we will bring all people together.” Looking to attract tourists from Los Angeles to London, Mowad said, “New Orleans is an international city, one of the best cities in the Unites States in my opinion, and we wanted to bring the best brands to our city to show we are an international city supporting internationally wellknown and respected brands like Caesars.”

With the onset of Caesars’ 2024 license extension with New Orleans Mayor Cantrell and the state, a reported $325 million renovation project, the city will see a substantial rise in employment opportunities. Bringing in 600 construction jobs to New Orleans, Caesars is committed to bolstering the city’s job market and economy following its 2024 commencement with various state and city infrastructure projects, spanning over $19.5 million in the next 3 years.

The mutualistic relationship between the city of New Orleans and Caesars Entertainment will extend once the rebranded casino is fully fledged. Management

projects an additional 500 staff members will be needed to operate the new hotel, full-time.

Holding true to Caesars’ roots, for loyal patrons of Harrah’s New Orleans Hotel & Casino, Samir Mowad explained, “No matter the brand, we always try and engage with people through our Caesars Entertainment’s loyalty program (the current loyalty program associated with Harrah’s.)”

Addressing anticipated reception with the rebrand from long-standing patrons of the casino, Mowad said, “To the people who have been loyal to us and who have gotten us to where we are today— we know who you are with our program. You will be the first to receive the new value and amenities when the Casino is fully renovated.”

Marking Caesars’ permanent residency in New Orleans, a 340-room hotel tower will be built over the current casino’s valet garage. With a premier selection of world-famous, signature culinary fare such as Chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa’s namesake restaurant and brand, Nobu, Mowad believes, “The brands we are bring in with our expansion and rebrand will, now, bring people in to eat and experience New Orleans, on top of gambling.”

Fostering New Orleans culture, the casino will include celebrity Chef Nina Compton in its selection of high-end restauranteurs, as a vendor in the Casino’s new food hall. Born and raised in St. Lucia, Compton, a James Beard award winner, has made a home for herself and her art here in New Orleans, running the critically acclaimed restaurants Compère Lapin and Bywater American Bistro.

Caesars’ dedication to the spirit of New Orleans and its legacy on Canal Street will also be brought to life by a second floor Las Vegas-style showroom. From the second-floor stage, the American theater company, Spiegelworld, will entertain guests with original acts in the same likeness as its well-known long-running Las Vegas shows such as the Absinthe and the Atomic Saloon Show.

Signifying Caesars’ push for the New Orleans-based Casino in scaling Louisiana’s gambling industry into the global market, Mowad said, “The Caesars brand is not a brand we use often. It’s in Vegas and Atlantic City— major international gambling hubs in the United States. Now, it will be in New Orleans.”

With Harrah’s transformative rebrand to Caesars New Orleans underway, an imminent metamorphosis to Louisiana’s hospitality industry will mark a new era of commercial virality for New Orleans tourism.

Civic Engagement

Patrick Cresson believes in giving back

BY MM KAUFMAN

Patrick Cresson is a New Orleanian through and through. His work, both in and out of the office, is dedicated to improving the city for residents and attracting new business.

“I live in New Orleans, I am from Greater New Orleans, and my wife and I are raising our two boys in Lakeview,” Cresson said. “I want to retire in New Orleans. And I believe firmly, it’s our responsibility as business leaders to not only grow our business, but to help our city grow as well.”

Patrick was introduced to OUTFRONT through a friend who knew he was looking for a career change that was more local. Prior to OUTFRONT, he was VP of sales for a software company that had him on a plane each week. He learned that OUTFRONT has been in New Orleans for over 70 years and was immediately attracted by how engrained the business was in the local community.

“Out of home (OOH) interacts with every type of business. Big or small, start up or established, it does not matter. Everyone is a potential client and that is my favorite thing about the business.”

Starting in late 2017, Cresson has worked under the title of sales director, but he is also responsible for real estate and the overall growth of the market. OUTFRONT is a publicly-traded company based in New York with presence in the nation’s top 50 metro markets. “It is great to work for a company like OUTFRONT that gives so much autonomy to local leadership to strategically grow our team and our business.”

It was that autonomy and diversity of clientele that attracted him. “Historically, I’ve specialized in healthcare which was great but in sales, it was often the same conversation over and over,” Cresson said. “But in OOH, it is important to really learn the nuance of each business you serve and their specific objectives. That is what separates good sales reps from great ones and we have a truly great team of sales professionals in New Orleans.”

OutFront gets brand awareness out into the community in a way that’s meaningful and impactful. OOH is in high demand and one of the last mass media still growing for a myriad of reasons. Cresson was drawn to the industry because of that growth potential plus the ability to entrench yourself in the local community. There are very few jobs, he says, that check both of those boxes.

When asked what motivates his involvement in so many local nonprofits and organizations looking to improve the city and safeguard its future, Cressons says his primary motivation is “just trying to make the city a little bit better than I found it for my two boys Rowe and Grayson whom I hope raise their kids here as well.”

Ever involved in the community, Cresson has a hard time turning down opportunities. One that taught him more than he expected was an adjunct professorship at the University of New Orleans Marketing School. He not only learned more about the subject material, but was greatly impressed by the students themselves. “I was expecting a class full of the backs of laptops look -

ing at me and hearing clicking noise the whole time,” Cresson said. “And it actually could not have been further from the truth. It was very personally engaging. It gave me hope for the younger generation that I think gets a really bad rap for being unengaged and just tied to their phone.”

Cresson hopes that people will come to see the Crescent City as more than a place of tourism. He touts the city’s tech sector as punching above the city’s weight, and the specific opportunities in coastal restoration in New Orleans’s role as a port city. He wants outsiders to know that New Orleans can certainly throw a great party, but it’s also a great place to raise your kids and grow your business. Cresson’s life outside of work is devoted to spending time with his wife, Britton, and kids and coaching his kids in baseball. “Again, it kind of goes back to that draw to teaching. I just enjoy that role.”

Cresson came to OUTFRONT with little knowledge of the industry, but he learned that the core was the ability to relate to people, to understand their needs, what their objectives are, and not just superficially. In his time at the company, they have experienced exponential growth, increasing their market revenues by 50% resulting in Cresson, as well as three members of his team, winning the President’s Club award in 2022.

Looking back on his career thus far, Cresson expresses a deep sense of gratitude for the mentors, and true friendships, at each place he’s had the fortune to work. This is a moti -

vating force for his own active involvement in leadership roles in the greater New Orleans community, he wants to pay the good fortune and opportunities he’s received forward to the next generation.

Patrick Cresson

The GNO, Inc. policy team connected with Northshore business leaders and legislators and advanced dialogue between legislators and business leaders on ways to work collaboratively to promote economic growth in the upcoming legislative session, namely the promotion and defense of key tax incentive programs.

GNO, Inc., along with other regional EDOs & companies announced the expansion of NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility campus in New Orleans East. Propel Park, the 50-acre industrial business park, is NOLA's first industrial construction project in more than 20 years.

GNO, Inc. President and CEO, Michael Hecht, moderated the Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans, Inc. panel on the state of New Orleans & Our Future with Royce Duplessis, Joseph I. Giarrusso, III, Walt Leger, Greg Rusovich, and Dr. Avis Williams.

In early March, The Assistant Secretary of the EDA, Alejandra Castillo, visited UNO's The Beach to learn more about the plans for the NeXus Center, or the New Energy Center of the United States— which will serve as the physical and programmatic hub for a range of clean energy initiatives.

GNO, Inc. hosted 1,200 business and civic leaders at the 2023 GNO, Inc. Annual Meeting: GNO UNITED. The meeting included a review of wins from 2022, a special video, & a presentation on how our region can unite to create a brighter future for Greater New Orleans.

GNO, Inc. Director of Strategic Partnerships Josh Tatum spoke at the LCTCS Career & Technical Educational Summit on best practices taking place across the state and how education leaders are preparing the next generation of industry leaders.

GNO, Inc. was thrilled to partner with College Track NOLA to help plan their first career engagement session. GNO, Inc. shared information about high-demand career opportunities & regional higher education partners training the next generation of leaders to enter career pathways.

This year for Washington Mardi Gras, members of the GNO, Inc. staff and NextGen Council coordinated "Louisiana YPs Engage!" where young professionals had the opportunity to attend a masquerade networking party and a federal briefing lunch. Our policy team had essential discussions with federal leaders around the National Flood Insurance Program, coastal restoration, energy, workforce, infrastructure, and international trade.

Construction has commenced on “Propel Park,” a $100M industrial and office development — the first facility of its kind within New Orleans city limits in more than two decades — located within NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF).

Venture Global LNG secured $7.8 billion of project financing for the second phase of its Plaquemines LNG facility. Together, phase one and phase two represent $21 billion of investment, the largest private project financing ever done in world history.

New Orleans International Airport (MSY) was recognized as one of the three best airports in North America for facilities with 5 to 15 million passengers — for the second year in a row.