NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)— As we reported last night, Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s Mardi Gras Advisory Council is considering moving all carnival parades to the same route on St. Charles Avenue. Businesses along the other usual parade routes are worried it will drive their customers away.
Chef Michael Gulotta at MOPHO in Mid-City is concerned about the Endymion parade possibly being moved to the St. Charles Avenue and Napoleon Avenue route.
“Usually it is the biggest days of the year. Mainly float riders buy us out and then we throw a party for float riders and then once they leave we have Endymion parade-goers here all day long,” he said.
When Endymion rolls, Chef Gulotta says they roll in the dough—typically making around $24-thousand dollars.
“My thing is this going to be a permanent move or just this year,” Chef Gulotta wonders?
The City says the reason for the move is not enough man power with EMS, NOPD, and the New Orleans Fire Department being stretched thin.
“Why do we have less EMS, less police, and what’s the reason for that,” he asked.
Gulotta went on to say, “Obviously the pandemic, but how has the pandemic made us have fewer EMS workers, fewer police officers. What is the systematic problem there.”
Across town at Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar which sits on the corner of Napoleon and St. Charles, General Manager John Michael Rowland is welcoming the change.
“If you add empty slots and have more parades on this route, it will do a lot for our business,” he said.
Rowland went on to say, “I think revenue increases could be anywhere from 10 to 20 percent.”
He says they do need to know if in fact the changes to the route are coming, so they can plan.
“Large influx of people, then your business model changes. We really need to know where we’re going so we can start the process and make sure we get it done the right way,” Rowland said.
The City has not made a final decision as to if the parade route change will happen or not yet.