New Orleans threw a party for the world 40 years ago this week, when the 1984 World’s Fair, formally known as the Louisiana World Exposition, opened. One hundred years after the city staged the 1884 World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition, the 82-acre fair site along the Mississippi Riverfront opened on Saturday, May 12, 1984.
“We Cajun people have an expression — ‘Laissez les bon temps rouler’ — let the good times roll. You are about to see a $350 million roll get under way,” said Gov. Edwin Edwards at the opening ceremony, which included remarks from more than a dozen dignitaries including Mayor Ernest “Dutch” Morial and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Malcolm Baldrige Jr.
The fair featured exhibits and pavilions from 95 countries. Among the popular attractions were the Wonderwall, the Mississippi Aerial River Transit system (better known as the gondola), the Italian village, German beer garden, aquacade, amphitheater and 20-story Ferris Wheel, billed as the world’s largest at the time.
Visitors could explore the Space Shuttle Enterprise, see treasures from the Vatican and watch WDSU-TV staff (including Gambit’s own Clancy DuBos, then a WDSU reporter) broadcast a daily program from its Telecommunications Center. Costumed fair mascots Seymore D. Fair and Al E. Gator were common sights strolling the grounds.
Although the six-month-long fair welcomed more than 7 million visitors, attendance was lower than projected and the fair became the only such exposition to declare bankruptcy during its run. It also was the last world's fair to date to be held in the United States.
Still, the fair is fondly remembered by locals. Equally if not more important, it revitalized New Orleans’ riverfront and Warehouse District — and birthed the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, which housed the fair’s Great Hall.
The stately building at 410 Chartres St. was erected in 1915 and served as Second City Criminal Court and the Third District Police Station.
