In Memphis, we've got just a terrific heritage of music.

Absolutely. When you look at a natural disaster that would cause the kind of destruction that's happened in Lake Charles, everyone should pause and take a look at why we do the things we do. The whole reason that gaming was brought into Louisiana was to promote economic development.

This is a magical city for our nation. We knew that Harrah's coming back, employing 1500 people, reaching out to our customers throughout the nation, and inviting them into New Orleans, was going to be crucial to restarting the city.

After considerable repair and renovation work, we are pleased to support this community by re-opening our doors and providing Lake Charles with much-needed additional hotel capacity.

We believe in the long-term potential of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and are looking forward to returning to this vibrant market.

Those barges you've seen on Highway 90? They're our casinos.

We'll be putting people back to work - and once again helping draw hundreds of thousands of tourists to New Orleans.

I'm here with a lot of optimism that it is a full recovery.

Mardi Gras is a very good time for the city to invite visitors to come and see that New Orleans is open and ready to receive tourists. We were determined to be a part of that invitation and to help deliver the fun and excitement that people expect when they arrive.

Our casino has always reflected those things that people associate with New Orleans and expect when they visit: great food and entertainment, lots of fun, more than a little excitement and even a bit of mystique.