Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1984-11-16

Duration: 00:17:11

Subjects: Louisiana World Exposition (1984: New Orleans, La.)

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Ekings, Robyn Host
• Udin, Ken Interviewee
• Quines, Pas Interviewee
• Gaines, Ulis Interviewee
• Molony, Jay Interviewee
• Lewis, Maurice Interviewee
• Nath, Naren Interviewee
• Del Fierro, Tony Interviewee
• Volz, John Interviewee
• Freeman, Bobby Interviewee
• Alario, John Interviewee

This segment from the November 16, 1984, episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” features Ken Johnson’s report on what went wrong with the recently closed 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans, the worst financial flop in the history of the world’s fair. He reports that the fair welcomed 7.3 million visitors, 5 million fewer than projected, and that the financial losses could run between $100-$150 million. Johnson’s report touches on the impact of the fair’s bad publicity, bad marketing, and bad management. He interviews: Ken Udin, Pas Quines, Maurice Lewis, Naren Nath, and Tony Del Fierro, concessionaires; Ulis Gaines, contractor; and Jay Molony, contractor. This segment also includes Robyn Eking’s report on the separate federal grand jury and state grand jury investigations into alleged corruption involving the fair and its operation. Ekings reports that three people were indicted in the federal grand jury investigation for an alleged kickback scheme involving the sale of souvenirs. She also reports that the federal investigation involved an FBI sting operation that impacted state government officials. She interviews Lieutenant Governor Bobby Freeman and Speaker of the House John Alario. A clip from a WDSU-TV interview with United States Attorney John Volz is also included in this report.