40 years later: Remembering New Orleans’ 1984 World’s Fair and its legacy

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Forty years ago, New Orleans opened the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition, commonly known as the World's Fair, an event that reshaped the city's landscape and fueled its tourism economy.

The fair celebrated the theme, "World of Rivers: Freshwater as a Source of Life," paying homage to the mighty Mississippi River.

Today, as visitors reflect on the transformative event, an exhibit at the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge tells the story of how the Fair changed New Orleans forever.

"It was a lot of good times, a lot of good memories," said fair visitor, Lulu Green, of New Orleans.

The fair turned the Warehouse District, once a declining area, into a vibrant attraction that drew around seven million visitors to its 84-acre sit along the river.

"It was the vision that everyone bought into, every neighborhood, every race, every level of income," said Mark Romig, Chief of Protocol for the fair and current Executive Vice President for New Orleans & Company.

Although some call it a financial disaster, losing more than $100 million, the fair sparked lasting change.

"The business lost money and that's a story, but to a person, many people say the fair was the most exciting thing that they did," Romig added.

The fair's organizers faced setbacks, with attendance numbers 40% lower than anticipated. Former CEO Petr Spurney attributed some of the financial struggles to the U.S. government's decision to withdraw its backing, which he says stunted participation and investment. Some believe the opening of Walt Disney World two years earlier also hurt the fair.

Nevertheless, the fair sparked a wave of developments that still benefit the city, from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center to the Riverwalk and major hotels, all of which emerged during a downturn in the oil industry, providing much-needed economic support.

"It was a terrific show. I don't think people realize how good it really was," Spurney reflected.

The Louisiana State Archives exhibit includes memorabilia from the fair, such as the mascot Seymor D. Fair, a contract authorizing the fair signed by then President Ronal Raegan, contracts for entertainers like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson in excess of $100,000, and suits swimmers wore at the aquacade.

Cash and Nelson were two of dozens that performed at the riverfront amphitheater which once stood near the Hilton Hotel.

Among the fair's most iconic attractions were the 300-foot French gondola that connected the Warehouse District to Algiers, the Space Shuttle Enterprise flown in on the back of a 747, the International Women's Pavilion, and various global exhibits, including the Italian Village and German beer garden. The Morial Convention Center, originally built for the fair, housed the Louisiana Swamp Ride.

The 1884 World's Fair exhibit at the Louisiana State Archives highlights another exposition that transformed Uptown 100 years earlier.

"The 1884 exposition was the catalyst that led to one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the south," said Tulane Geographer Richard Campanella.

Remnants of the 1884 fair can still be seen in Uptown New Orleans at the Audubon Park Golf Course, including a piece of iron ore from Alabam and on Exposition Boulevard along the brick foundations on the edge of the golf course lagoon.

The 1884 fair celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first cotton export out of New Orleans. Campanella says it ultimately helped pave the way for the founding of Loyola and Tulane universities.

Similar to the 1984 World's Fair, the 1884 fair was not an immediate success.

"I think social media has taken the element of why you would have a World's Fair. The World's Fair was an event that brought people together to see things," said Romig.

The 1984 fair featured a monorail that was shipped to the Miami Zoo after its closure on Nov. 11.

Many other features, like the aquacade and the amphitheater, were dismantled and never re-used.

The 1984 World's Fair exhibit is on display on the main floor of the Louisiana State Archives building on Essen Lane in Baton Rouge through December 13.