A new "enhanced security zone" will feature bag checks and security checkpoints between Feb. 5 and Feb. 10. Map: Courtesy Louisiana State Police
People traveling through parts of the French Quarternext weekwill be subject to bag checks as part of new Super Bowl security protocols, Gov. Jeff Landry said yesterday.
Why it matters: The move is a significant planning change for how the city operates during major events.
How it works: People passing through the new checkpoints with bags larger than 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches will be subject to search, Landry says.
Those checkpoints, which surround Bourbon Street, will be active between Wednesday and Monday, Feb. 10, Landry said.
Vehicle traffic will be restricted, state police said, and hotel visitors should use Royal Street and Dauphine Street entrances. Otherwise, residents and visitors with luggage or traveling in cars will have to show proof of an active hotel reservation or residency.
Coolers and ice chests will also be prohibited in that area.
A similar security zone will surround the Caesars Superdome, with the NFL taking the lead.
Entry sites there will be manned by a mix of private security and local law enforcement, NFL chief security officer Cathy Lanier said yesterday.
Some of the NFL security infrastructure, like barricades now being unloaded in the French Quarter, will stick around for Mardi Gras, officials say.
What we're watching: Recommendations from NOPD's security consultants are already making an impact, New Orleans police chief Anne Kirkpatrick said this week.
They met last night with French Quarter business leaders to start conversations about some options to improve safety.
"The perfect level of security," said consultant and retired NYPD chief Ken Corey, would be to make Bourbon Street a fully pedestrian mall with no vehicle crossings except for authorized deliveries.
The concept is still in its early stages with no timeline.
Philadelphia Eagles fans celebrate their team's NFC Championship win on Sunday. Photo: Thomas Hengge/Anadolu via Getty Images
Philadelphia Eagles fans are soon to descend upon us for the Super Bowl, and the fanbase has a particularly — um — rowdy reputation for celebrating wins and mourning losses.
Why it matters: "We're a very tolerant city," Chief Kirkpatrick said Tuesday, "but we're … not gonna put up with lawlessness."
What we're watching: Kirkpatrick says that an ideal Super Bowl would mirror Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour" weekend, but a WWL reporter at the press conference pointed out that "Eagles fans aren't like Taylor Swift fans."
The "Kismet" can be rented for $3 million per week, making her one of the most expensive yachts on the charter market. She's seen in London in October 2024. Photo: Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images
🛥️ Ahoy, peasants! Atlanta billionaire Arthur Blank is in town with his fancy $180 million yacht. The towering vessel is docked behind Audubon Zoo. (The Times-Picayune 🔒)
The $360 million "Kismet," owned by billionaire Shad Khan,is here too. She's moored downtown. (The Times-Picayune🔒)
Blank owns the Atlanta Falcons and Khan owns the Jacksonville Jaguars.
☕️ PJ's Coffee closed its Maple Street location this week for good, with the owners telling us it was due to construction-related business disruptions.
👀 Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump's controversial pick for secretary of Health and Human Services, seemed to struggle yesterday amid questions from Sen. Bill Cassidy during his first confirmation hearing. (Axios)
🗺️ It's Internet official: Google Mapschanged its stance and says it will call it the Gulf of America. (Axios)
🐈 A feral domestic cat got New Orleans' first confirmed bird flu case last week. (Verite)
🥤 New Orleans artist Becky Fos made a color-changing Dr Pepper can for the Super Bowl. The limited-edition cans are in select stores around town. (Facebook)
Tet Fest has multiple booths selling traditional Vietnamese food. New Orleans metro has the largest Vietnamese population in the state. Photo: Rebecca Todd/neworleans.com
🐍 Tet Fest celebrates Vietnamese New Year tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday at Mary Queen of Vietnam Church. Admission is free, but bring cash for food and games. (Details)
🎶 Algiers Mardi Gras Fest starts with a parade at 9am Saturday. The Brass-a-Holics and Amanda Shaw headline. (Details)
👽 The Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus rolls at 7pm Saturday through the Marigny and the French Quarter. (Details)
🦓 Cheer on zonkeys and ostriches Saturday at the Fair Grounds during the exotic animal races. (Tickets)
🎨 Join the Art Walk on Magazine Street on Saturday night. (Details)
✨ Temporary light shows start Saturday night on the exterior of the Caesars Superdome and Sunday night on the St. Louis Cathedral. (Details)
Check out our fan guide of other Super Bowl events next week.
