Harrah's New Orleans Opens New 450-Room Hotel

LAS VEGAS -- Harrah's New Orleans Hotel made its official debut Thursday, September 21, hosting a New Orleans-style party that attracted more than 2,500 guests who gathered to celebrate the first completely
An interior view of Harrah's New Orleans. 
Harrah's New Orleans opens its new hotel.  new hotel to open in the city since Hurricane Katrina.

The 26-story, 450-room, $170 million luxury hotel is a milestone in the continued recovery of the city's tourism industry. It complements the existing 125,000-square-foot Harrah's Casino, which features 2,100 slot machines and more than 90 table games.

"This beautiful hotel, combined with our world-class casino and our wide selection of dining experiences, gives our guests yet another reason to come and experience New Orleans, one of America's greatest cities," said Anthony Sanfilippo, president of Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.'s (NYSE:HET) Central Division. "One of the reasons our guests love New Orleans is the incomparable experience of the city's restaurants, theaters and shops. We're pleased to add to this unique national destination."

Harrah's new hotel is designed to blend gracefully into the surrounding architecture of New Orleans' historic warehouse district. Guests are just paces away from Harrah's casino, the French Quarter and attractions along the Mississippi River.

The hotel has many reflections of the New Orleans' culture, including the works of notable local artists and a new jazz club in a historic building which was incorporated into the project.

Bordering one side of the hotel tower, and steps from the casino, Harrah's new Fulton Street promenade offers great entertainment and wonderful restaurants in the heart of downtown.

Celebrity chef Todd English chose Fulton Street as the site for "Riche," his latest restaurant, reflecting French cooking traditions in an updated Parisian brasserie atmosphere.

Next door to Riche, the "528 by Todd English" jazz club was created from the historic restoration of a building constructed in 1852 and protected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The exterior of the hotel's lower floors emulates the late 1800's architecture characteristic of the neighborhood and serves as a platform for the modern guest tower.