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A city that’s been celebrating for 300 years has to have some party tricks up her sleeve, right? The year 2018 marks the Crescent City’s three hundredth cycle around the sun, and there’s sure to be a big shebang — native style. But besides the obvious music, libations, and dancing, let’s take a look at what the honchos have planned.
Airport Overhaul
You may have recently noticed sparkling bathrooms and Jetsons style furniture in the terminals of the Louis Armstrong International Airport. The city will continue improvements with an 826 million dollar upgrade to be completed by May 2018. The renovation will improve access the airport from I-10 and should increase the ease of getting into the Big Easy. Plans include spaces to accommodate large groups, like Frodo’s posse for Worldcon 2018. With new check-in counters and a streamlined security station, the only headache visitors will have is the one from their post-Frenchmen hangover.
City Park Upgrade
There’s no doubt that you’ll want to be a friend of City Park in 2018. The Master Plan that brought you beignets, gondola rides, and mini golf promises to roll out a new skate park and full-size golf course for the Tricentennial. These new digs offer great fun for the kids out there – little and big!
Tradeshow Turn Up
You know you’ve got that spark when the people who plan parties choose your town to get down. New Orleans will host the Expo! Expo! in 2018 welcoming thousands of event planning staff to the city. Who better to celebrate a birthday with than professional partiers!
Downtown Turnaround
2018 holds major changes for the downtown Nola landscape. The city, along with various tourism and hospitality organizations, has created a campaign to rehab the riverfront. New green space, similar to that of the recently opened Crescent Park, will line the waterway offering a prime spot to enjoy French Quarter Fest or a random Verdi Mart picnic. Now that hotel plans for the old WTC building have been scrapped, the possibilities are endless as to what could fill the space next. I’m envisioning something even cooler than the chicest W Hotel. Check out this cool interactive map for more details on the exciting stuff to come.
While 300 may seem old, New Orleans is proving that she’s more vivacious than Betty White. With so many fun-enhancing projects up for completion in 2018, the year is bound to be spectacular. If you just can’t hide your Nola pride until the Tricentennial, sign up for a free New Orleans WILL POWER Kit and share some New Orleans awesomeness with the world (or at least your neighbors).
