The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 22

C4 Pantagraph Monday, February 12, 2007 www.pantagraph.com OUR BUSINESS Is Mardi Gras rebound in the offing for New Orleans? Leaps in lodging Lodging capacity in New Orleans is at 90 percent of levels seen before the 2005 hurricanes. About 80 percent of rooms are taken for the opening weekend of Mardi Gras. Available hotel rooms 1:231 i About 30,000 38,000 80 percent in metro before booked area hurricanes Open hotels in New Orleans 142 total before Hurricane Katrina 100 percent 90- 80 60 AO I 20 By Alan Sayre ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW ORLEANS Amid myriad problems that have bogged down its recovery, New Orleans is hoping for a rebound for the annual Carnival spectacle that provides a big chunk of its tourist economy. After Hurricane Katrina, the 2006 parade schedule was cut back to eight days. Many restaurants were still closed while storm refugees and relief workers instead of tourists filled hotel rooms.

Those whose livelihoods depend upon the debauchery see signs of a better year. More than three dozen parades are set to roll between Friday night and Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, on Feb. 20. "It's going to be good," said Blaine Kern, owner of Kern Studios, which is building about 500 floats for parading organizations, known as krewes. "Last year, we got it done.

But this year, it's coming back with a vengeance." Denise Estopinal, a spokes-Woman for the Greater New Orleans Hotel and Lodging Association, said bookings are running at about 80 percent for the weekend leading into Fat Tuesday. Hotels hope to reach the 90 percent figure for the 30,000 sboms available in the New Orleans area, Estopinal said. Last year, half of the 28,000 then-available rooms were taken up by storm recovery efforts. Restaurants are still plagued by labor shortages in a city where only about half the population is back, said Tom Weath-erly, a vice president with the Louisiana Restaurant Association. Still, according to a count by New Orleans restaurant review- SONDJFMAMJJASONDJ 2005 '06 '07 WI ,1 AP i a I I' SOURCES: Greater New Orleans Community Data Center; Greater New Orleans Hotel and Lodging Association IV MIMA A Associated PressBILL HABER One of the decorations that will be used on one of the approximately 450 floats built by Kern Studios is shown in the Mardi Gras den in New Orleans last week.

you wouldn't have tourism." At New Orleans' international airport, where 110 of the 162 pre-Katrina flights have been restored, Continental Airlines has added an additional 29 inbound and 35 outbound flights for the Mardi Gras season Despite the drive for tourists, Kern, who has been building floats since 1947, says the New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration still has and always will have its roots in the local population. "It's woven so much into the fabric of our society," Kern said. "We're doing this for ourselves. The tourists come and love it, but this is our thing." rade krewes. Pat Finney who oversees the operation, said she was surprised at the high number of last year's orders and this year krewes are buying more doubloons.

In the last extensive economic study of Mardi Gras performed for the 2000 season by the University of New Orleans the total impact was pegged at $1.05 billion. Last year, the usual crowd was down from er Tom Fitzmorris, about 250 restaurants are open in the key business areas of the city, up more than 100 from last year. Also poised to benefit from this year's Carnival are the makers and sellers of shiny beads, colorful plastic cups and other trinkets thrown to the crowds during parades. New Orleans Mint turns out about 3 million doubloons aluminum coins tossed by pa tying and drinking in the They don't understand the business aspect of Mardi Gras," said Barry Barth, owner of Barth Brothers Artists, which built about 100 parade floats. Creations owner Diane Brown, whose company makes about 15,000 Mardi Gras costumes annually for celebrations in New Orleans and other cities, said that "without Mardi Gras, about 1 million visitors to about 350,000, with local residents doing most of the celebrating, according to UNO.

The study did not offer an economic impact figure. Even the short celebration drew criticism from some that it sent a wrong message to the world so soon after the storm. "To people in Iowa and Nebraska, it looked like 'the guys can't be too bad off, they are par LocalCalendar Building Morrissey Drive. NORMAL None McLEAN COUNTY Robert Blessing, Bloomington, issued permit Jan. 24 for $175,000 house at Lot 2, Blessing Subdivision.

The following building permits were issued last week for commercial and residential construction in McLean County. BLOOMINGTON Five Star Roofing System, Hartford City, lnd issued a permit Feb. 2 for $500,000 for reroofing, 903 for the speaker and dinner is $20, walk-in speaker and dinner, $25 and speaker only is $10. To RSVP visit www.pmi-cic.org. Thursday McLean County Chamber of Commerce Women's Division, 5:30 p.m., social; 6 p.m.

dinner at Eastland Suites Hotel and Conference Center, 1801 Eastland Drive, Bloomington; speaker is Shari Buckellew, founder and Tuesday Spring Employment and Internship Career Fair Part II, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Bone Student Center, Illinois State University, Normal. Tuesday PMI-CIC Chapter meeting, 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Doubletree Hotel, 10 Brickyard Drive, filoomington; speaker is Lowell tindstrom.

Topic: "Is Agile Sufficient for the Business?" To RSVP On-site registration is $50. Guest registration is $20. For more information or to register, call Cheryl Day at (217) 763-9907, fax to (217) 763-6010 or e-mail Deadline for the local business calendar is noon Wednesday for Monday publication. Items should be mailed to The Pantagraph, 301 W. Washington Bloomington, 61702-2907, or sent via fax at (309) 829-7000.

manager of the Children's Discovery Museum. Cost is $17 for members, $20 for guests. For reservations, call (309) 829-6344. Feb, 28 2007 Illinois Agri-Women annual meeting, registration, 6:30 a.m., with the meeting adjourning at 4:30 p.m., at the Signature Inn, Room 413 of the Stratton Building, in Springfield. Registration is $40 before Friday.

All events are held in Braden Auditorium, Bone Student Center, and are free and open to the public. MSJ PUBLIC SPEAKER SERIES David McCullough Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Jim Owens Robert Ballard April 17, 2007, 7:30 p.m. A faculty member at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography, Robert Ballard spearheaded the development of manned submersibles and remotely operated vehicles for marine research.

He is best known for discovering the Titanic. A book signing will follow the speech. Hosted by the College of Applied Science and Technology. March 28, 2007, 7:30 p.m. Environmental activist Robert Kennedy Jr.

has been named by Time magazine as a "hero of the planet." He is senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, chief prosecuting attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper, and president of Waterkeeper Alliance. A book signing will follow the speech. Hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences. April 3, 2007, 2 p.m. Jim Owens is chairman and chief executive officer of Caterpillar Inc.

in Peoria. After joining the company in 1972 as a corporate economist, he held numerous management positions and, at various times, has been responsible for 13 of the company's 25 divisions. Owens holds a Ph.D. in economics from North Carolina State University. Hosted by the College of Business.

February 15, 2007, 1 p.m. Founders Day Keynote Historian and author David McCullough has worked as an editor, essayist, teacher, lecturer, and is a familiar face on public television. His most recent book, 1776, has been characterized as brilliant and powerful. McCullough has been honored by two Pulitzer Prizes, two National Book Awards, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A book signing will follow the speech.

thank you to our sponsors Lead sponsor State Farm Insurance Companies Diamond sponsors COUNTRY Insurance Financial Services; The Town of Normal Platinum sponsors Barnes Noble College Bookstore; NICOR Gas; Snyder Corporation Gold sponsors Afni Avanti's Italian Restaurant; BroMenn Regional Medical Center; Busey Bank; CEFCU; Clemens and Associates; Commerce Bank; Heritage Enterprises; ISU Credit Union For more information on these events and a full schedule of sesquicentennial activities, go to IllinoisState.edu. If you need an accommodation to fully enjoy these events, please call (309) 438-8790. I.