New Orleans has always been a great city, but now it seems more people are taking notice.
In fact, I’d venture to say it’s the new New York.
New Orleans has its own boroughs, including Uptown, Downtown, Northshore, Westbank and more. And it’s got its own thriving music scene – Young Money Cash Money, baby.
New Orleans is so good, it’s even starting to give itself away for free.
This weekend I attended the free Black Keys concert, just one part of the Final Four concert series that also included KISS and Jimmy Buffet.
The show was huge, attracting thousands of spectators and New Orleans-born star of “The Hangover” and “Community,” Ken Jeong. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few other big names in the crowd, which was estimated to number around 15,000.
The concert represents a hopeful new trend in New Orleans. The Crescent City is quickly becoming a go-to destination.
Sure, New Orleans has always been known worldwide as the “Big Easy,” home of Mardi Gras, five-star cuisine and the nation’s highest murder rate.
But the city’s reputation is expanding.
With Louisiana’s tax incentives, the city has become one of the most popular film destinations in the country – the cityscape can be seen in the recent “21 Jump Street,” and A-listers like Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx are currently in the city shooting Quentin Tarantino’s next film.
The sporting world’s biggest events are also calling NOLA home.
The BCS Championship and NCAA Final Four, arguably college sports’ two most beloved events, have found love in the French Quarter this year, while the Superbowl will be hosted in the city in 2013.
And lately, a stroll through New Orleans can provide as many celebrity sightings as the Hollywood Hills.
The Final Four attracted Jay-Z and Ashley Judd. On March 10, Brad Pitt and Ellen Degeneres hosted “A Night To Make It Right,” a star-studded gala to raise money for environmentally-friendly homes. The after-party for the event, emceed by comedian Aziz Ansari, featured performances by Snoop Dogg, Seal and Kanye West, who was joined onstage by Jamie Foxx.
After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the spirit seemed to be drained from the city. Residents moved away and tourists stopped coming. Even as people moved on, the city carried a tragic legacy.
It seems the city has finally overcome this stigma.
In 2009, when the Saints won the Superbowl, it was called a victory for New Orleans, a triumphant return for a city dominated by tragedy in the past.
The Final Four concert series was an important milestone for the city.
Now, the Fishbowl is more than Hurricane Katrina or even the “laissez les bon temps rouler” attitude known worldwide.
It’s now a city where you could very well run into Brad Pitt while walking through the streets. It’s the city that never sleeps, and you’ll find yourself coming in at 5 a.m., even on a Tuesday night.
It’s a city that’s evolved into an ideal and has become a destination, not just a place to go.
More people are noticing and will continue to notice what New Orleans has to offer.
As more people take notice, it will draw more attractions, events and personalities to the city, which will in turn increase the tourism to New Orleans.
It’s a cycle that can only be seen as beneficial to the future of New Orleans, the “Next-Biggest Apple.”
Kevin Thibodeaux is a 20-year-old sophomore from Lafayette.
 
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Contact Kevin Thibodeaux at [email protected]