Harrah's Casino — Place d'Armes District

An entire city block at the foot of Canal Street, where French colonial troops once drilled at the Place d'Armes, now holds the only land-based casino in Louisiana. Every other casino in the state floats on water. Harrah's doesn't. The building opened in 1999 after a political fight ugly enough to bankrupt the original developer. What survived that process now generates more tax revenue for New Orleans than any other single business — a fact that settles no moral question about casinos but clarifies the economic stakes. The location isn't accidental. Canal Street was the commercial artery of the largest port in the Southern United States through the 19th century, exporting cotton and farm products to Europe and New England. The riverfront was where goods moved and money changed hands. It still is. Open 24 hours. The building fills the block at 228 Poydras Street, near the river. You'll know it when you see it.