The Covid economy: April 7th - 13th

Among the long list of questions that nobody seems to know the
answer to in this public health crisis, one of the most pressing
is, When we finally get the spread of the virus under control and
stop losing lives, will we also cure the Covid Economy?


There are not many people qualified to answer this
question. Meet Steve Ceulemans.


Steve is originally from Belgium, where he got a degree in
international business and management. After that, he got a
Doctor of Science degree from Tulane University School of Public
Health and Tropical Medicine.


You might well imagine that when Steve pursued these two very
disparate avenues of academic study – business and tropical
medicine – there were people who wondered if one would ever be
able to use those two skillsets at the same time. Well, that
time has arrived. As Executive Director of the Baton Rouge Health
District, Steve Ceulemans is uniquely qualified to understand how
this pandemic is undermining our economy.


Festival Fun Is Most Definitely Over


Remember the days before the Covid Economy? When you could go out
to a restaurant? Or a bar? Or a music festival?


In Louisiana, we have over 400 festivals every year. From the
internationally renowned – like Jazz Fest in New Orleans and
Festival International here in Lafayette – to unique local
favorites like the Shrimp and Petroleum Festival in Morgan City,
or the Rice festival in Crowley.


And then there’s the literally thousands of bars and restaurants
across the state, with regional specialties like smoked meat in
Ville Platte, boudin in Broussard, or the muffuletta in New
Orleans.


For now though, our Louisiana way of life has come to a grinding
halt.


It’s tough times for all of us, but especially for folks in
businesses that rely on social gathering. Not just because
they’re closed down, but also because of the uncertainty of what
their businesses will look like when we get back to normal.


Gus Rezende owns seven food and drink establishments in Acadiana,
including Tula Tacos and Central Pizza, and through his company,
Social Entertainment, he’s the promoter of a handful of
festivals, among them the Acadiana Poboy Festival. How is Gus
positioning his businesses for re-opening, and is he getting and
Federal help through the Cares Act?


In New Orleans the Party Is On Pause


New Orleans might not have invented the concept of partying, but
the city has certainly perfected it.


Before it became an alleged virus incubator, Mardi Gras in New
Orleans was one of the most celebrated parties on earth. There
are free parties every single night on Bourbon Street, and
Frenchmen Street.


Even in the business world, New Orleans is known for socializing.
Although conventions are meant to be places for doing business,
there’s a reason Las Vegas and New Orleans are the country’s
biggest convention destinations.


In New Orleans the worlds of tourism and conventions meet in the
offices of an organization called New Orleans & Company - a
city body that was formed by the recent combination of the New
Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation and the Convention &
Visitors Bureau.


The Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of New
Orleans & Company is Mark Romig. Mark has been a guest on Out
to Lunch before, under happier circumstances. Back then we would
never have imagined that we would be discussing the details of
turning the New Orleans Convention Center into a hospital.


Photos from this show by Jill Lafleur and more info is on our
website
https://itsbatonrouge.la/2020/04/07/the-covid-economy-april-7th-13th/


Last week's Covid Economy update is here.


See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.