SITUATION:                           

Harrah's New Orleans Casino was closed by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 and did not reopen until February 2006. Harrah's called on The Ehrhardt Group to help develop and execute the re-opening celebration, which included a formal opening ceremony. As the only land-based gaming attraction in New Orleans, The Ehrhardt Group helped Harrah's position itself as a leader in the recovery of the downtown area and in the revitalization of New Orleans tourism, trade, critical to economic redevelopment

STRATEGY:

1. Time the grand opening to the lead-in period to the first Mardi Gras since Hurricane Katrina

2. Position the casino as a leader in tourism recovery

3. Involve the casino as a Mardi Gras participant with an outdoor concert series

4. Attract media to the re-opening story with hard-hat tours of the refurbished casino

5. Bring media and dignitaries to a grand opening event that included a strong visual component consistent with the casino's entertainment image

RESULTS:

The grand re-opening was covered by local, regional and trade media. Also, national news outlets covering the post-Katrina story in New Orleans attended the event and filed stories that hailed the opening as a milestone in the city's comeback. The casino posted the largest business weekend in the history of the property.