Re-Creating New Orleans: Driving Development Through Creativity

The purpose of this article is to consider the promotion of the entertainment industries as a means to economic redevelopment in post-Katrina New Orleans. A comparative study is conducted with three other cities in the Southeast: Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; and Wilmington, North Carolina. The study begins by laying a theoretical foundation for such an approach, looking at creative class and human capital theories in particular. After providing a brief background of New Orleans, the authors review current economic development strategies for the region. New Orleans' existing strength in the creative media cluster is acknowledged and alternative strategies are discussed in terms of firm-centered and people-centered approaches. The article closes with a number of specific policy implications for the city, including entertainment industry cluster development, improved quality of life for residents, and an enhanced business climate. Possible implications for other cities are also discussed.