JW Marriott New Orleans

Built on a bend in the river (hence called the Crescent City), New Orleans is protected by levees. A major international port and a center of business and banking,it is one of the largest and most important cities in the South.

French influence (Creole culture) and the city’s reputation for glamour and gaiety have lasted to the present. The French Quarter (Vieux Carrée), around Jackson Square, is the oldest section of the city and retains much of its early elegance. Contemporary landmarks include the Superdome (1975) and the Hibernia Tower. Two manifestations of the city’s heterogeneous culture are its famous Mardi Gras festival and the development of jazz. The city was the site of the 1984 World’s Fair, and gambling was legalized in 1992, with the first casino opening on a riverboat in 1993.