Author: Kathy Finn

Friendly Competition?

  A recent move by lawmakers in the nation’s largest city in defiance of one of the world’s largest corporations drew diverse reactions around the country. New York City drew a line in the sand when, after being selected as…

Taking to Heart

As she saw it, the year 2004 was going well for Essence Harris Banks. She was enjoying her job in human resources for a corporation headquartered in downtown New Orleans, and she felt invigorated by her part-time work as a…

MSY Goes First Class

  In just a few months, one of the biggest construction projects in New Orleans’ history will be ready for its close-up. The new Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is slated to open for business in February, whereupon local…

Hotel health

Cheers went up in New Orleans’ hospitality industry a few months ago when word came that a record number of people had visited the city. Almost 11 million visitors came to town during 2017, according to data released by the…

Up and Coming

A decade or so ago, when New Orleans began garnering attention in the business press as an up-and-comer in technology and entrepreneurial innovation, it was fair to wonder whether the praise marked the start of a lasting change or merely…

Next Stop, St. Bernard

For many residents of New Orleans, it is easy to go through life largely unaware of one of the city’s most vital industries. The Port of New Orleans, despite occupying hundreds of acres of prime land along New Orleans’ most…

Our Dwindling Coast

A sense of inevitability imbues the tensions between one of Louisiana’s largest industries and advocates for some of the state’s most precious resources. In the days when the oil and gas business was starting up, concerns over its impact on…

Roll of the Dice

Twenty years ago, the idea that an industry could start up in Louisiana and within a relatively short time become a significant source of state tax revenue may have seemed a pipedream. Then again, in the view of some people…

Concert trends bring big names to local stages

Everybody loves to look back on an event that impressed them so much it had them recalling the details for years after. For many people, big music concerts have that effect. And the good news for locals is that more…

Developer Calls ‘Action’ On New Film Studio

In its long-running competition with other states to attract new business and high-quality employment, Louisiana has used many types of job “bait.” Louisiana taxpayers have invested hundreds of millions of dollars into business tax breaks, worker training and cash grants…

Brain Gain

Business groups in the hunt for next big idea