he or she is rewarded something … maybe
something like $100 off bottle service at
Masquerade.”
Beyond Masquerade, Harrah’s guests
can enjoy outstanding casino cocktails
and dining as well. John Besh’s signature
restaurant Besh Steak, which serves
upscale cuisine in an atmosphere peppered
with Blue Dog paintings by local artist
George Rodrigue, is a prime attraction,
while renowned chef Philip Chan prepares
Asian-fusion and sushi at Bambu with sake
cocktails to complement. The Harrah’s
Hotel is home to the flagship Ruth’s Chris
Steak House location, which settled there
in May 2008 after the original location on
Broad Street was severely damaged during
Hurricane Katrina.
Beyond the Blinking Lights
Masquerade and the dining and drinking
venues in the casino are extremely successful for the company overall, contributing a consistent and significant portion of
the casino’s total revenue, according to
McNamara. Harrah’s management also
wanted to capture the visitors and locals
strolling the city’s storied street, and so
they added the Fulton Street component to
the entertainment portfolio.
In developing Fulton Street, Harrah’s
worked to connect the city’s past and its
passion for all things local with its
Quantifying Compassion
Nearly 9,000 employees worked at the four Harrah’s
Entertainment casinos closed
by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita:
Harrah’s New Orleans, Grand Casino Biloxi (Miss.), Grand Casino
Gulfport (Miss.) and Harrah’s
Lake Charles (La.). Here is a summary of Harrah’s efforts to assist
its employees:
; Establishment of the
Harrah’s Employee Recovery
Fund. The fund was seeded with
a $1 million donation from the
Harrah’s Foundation and received more than $6.6 million in
donations from the Foundation,
their own marketing; it’s sort of shared
efficiencies. Grand Isle is locally, privately
owned, and we plan to bring lots of different partners to Fulton Street.”
Annual and special event promotions on
the promenade are important in drawing
traffic to the area. Events such as last
year’s Tiki Party during Tales of the Cocktail, the REO Speedwagon concert and the
annual Miracle on Fulton Street — running from mid-November to January and
featuring “real” snow, strolling costumed
characters, local performers and holiday-themed dining — all serve to make Fulton
Street a versatile, money-making darling for
the company and the city.
“Harrah’s continues to be one of the biggest tourism attractions in New Orleans,”
McNamara says. “We keep track of who
comes in, and we are second only to
Disney World in terms of admissions in the
South.”
While perhaps skeptical at first, local
hospitality pros now see Harrah’s as a boon
to the city and the dining, drinking and
entertainment scene. “The jobs and impact
to the local economy has been astounding,” says Michael Brewer, currently the
self-proclaimed “gunslinger” at Charlie’s
Steakhouse and formerly “liquid asset manager” at Commander’s Palace. “Harrah’s
investments in hotels, restaurants, bars and
gaming have had a huge impact not only
in their own properties but in local businesses, as well.
“The gaming element brings tourists
from all over the world to New Orleans
to experience the thrill of the game and
the flavor of New Orleans,” he continues.
“Many area restaurants accept vouchers
from Harrah’s players that add a constant
base to their bottom line, and Harrah’s
has embraced the local flavor by open-
Fulton Street, the upscale entertainment promenade, houses restaurants, bars and shopping, and
holds special events to draw traffic to the area.
desire for contemporary concepts by blending big name chains with local New Orleans
operations. Fulton Street’s history also
strikes a chord with the native citizens: During the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans,
the street served as an entertainment
district. Harrah’s has permanently resurrected that atmosphere with a red-bricked,
pedestrian-only promenade lined with an
eclectic mix of shops, restaurants and bars.
The Harrah’s Hotel serves as its anchor,
while recognized brands including Gordon Biersch Brewery, Ruth’s Chris Steak
House, 528 bar and Grand Isle restaurant
all lure the public ambling by with outdoor
dining in warmer weather.
“The big name places like Ruth’s
Chris certainly help with the marketing,”
McNamara says of Fulton Street’s appeal.
“The Fulton Street tenants are included in
Harrah’s marketing plan, but they also have
outside vendors, employees and
members of the public. About
6,400 current and former employees received financial assistance
from the fund.
; All affected employees
were paid their regularly scheduled base pay for 90 days after
the storm. Insurance benefits
continued during this period
as well, and premiums were
waived.
; Arrangements were made
with Western Union to wire
emergency funds to employees
unable to access their bank accounts, without charge.
; Affected employees were
given first preference for available jobs at all 35 of Harrah’s
operating casinos in the United
States. Employees relocating
into other jobs were eligible
for up to $2,500 in relocation
assistance. To date, more than
750 employees have relocated
to other Harrah’s properties,
receiving nearly $1.4 million in
relocation assistance.
; Employees relocating to the
Las Vegas area were provided
with temporary housing (up to
several weeks, if necessary) at
the Bourbon Street Hotel, free of
charge, until the hotel closed on
October 17, 2005.
