As New Orleans hosts the Super Bowl, Jefferson Parish supports with security, facilities, and hospitality, generating vital revenue and savings for residents.
JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — The heart of this year’s Super Bowl may be in downtown New Orleans, but having it there requires arteries like Jefferson Parish.
“New Orleans gets all the national publicity, but New Orleans isn’t at its best unless we’re at our best and everybody around it is at its best,” said Division B Councilman At-Large Scott Walker.
Walker says Jefferson Parish will provide security, facility, and parking resources for the game. Meanwhile, Jefferson Parish residents and businesses are set to welcome a lot of visitors.
“People are spending money in Jefferson Parish. People are staying in hotels. People are eating in our restaurants and that sales tax revenue comes to the parish,” said Walker.
Other than an LED lighting project on Interstate 10, there are no big infrastructure projects happening because of the Super Bowl, like there are in New Orleans. Tourism leaders hope folks visiting New Orleans will cross the parish line.
“We know that we’re a supplement to New Orleans, but we believe we’re a compliment to New Orleans,” said Visit Jefferson Parish President and CEO Violet Peters.
Peters says Jefferson Parish was part of the package that helped get the Super Bowl to New Orleans. She says the occupancy tax with each hotel room in Jefferson Parish saves residents money.
“Our visitors are helping with the infrastructure of our streets, of our sewer system, of our sheriff’s office, of our education system,” said Peters.
Peters says those visitors help with another tax burden as well.
“Because of the amount of visitation we have in Jefferson Parish each household saves $1,159 in their state income tax,” said Peters.
Parish leaders say the benefits to residents are worth the work it takes.
“It takes everybody coming together to pull off an event like this. New Orleans has a huge part in it but the support that Jefferson Parish offers, and the support other parishes and the state offers, makes that go off seamlessly,” said Walker.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.