The history of the Municipal Auditorium

The Municipal Auditorium is a five-story Italian Renaissance-style building located in Armstrong Park in Tremé that was designed by Favrot and Livaudais in 1930. The construction of the auditorium was partially fueled by the City Beautiful movement in the 1920s along with the loss of the French Quarter landmark the French Opera House, in 1919. A $2mil budget was put together by the city to create a cultural center that included a new auditorium, plaza, parkway, etc.

The 75,000sf auditorium held up to 10,000 seats and was able to be split into two sections by dividing walls. A 35,000sf exhibition space was added in 1931 that accommodated space for the function of a convention center.

The Municipal Auditorium has played a vital role as a gathering place for generations of New Orleanians. It has been adapted to a wide variety of programs in order to fit the public life of our city. It was especially important in the era before the Superdome and the Smoothie King Arena were erected.

The Municipal Auditorium’s ballroom was a prominent site for Mardi Gras events until Hurricane Katrina with about 60 balls held there per year. Much public memory around the space has to do with these Mardi Gras balls that were held there, as well as graduation ceremonies and school dances,. These local events were essential pieces of the rhythm of local life.

In addition, the Municipal Auditorium was home to the New Orleans Buccaneers basketball team (1969-70), boxing, wrestling, circuses, and theater. An ice rink was installed in 1991 in efforts to bring ice shows and a hockey team to the city but was paused when Harrah’s converted the auditorium to a casino in 1994. Harrah’s filed for bankruptcy a few years later and a $39M renovation restored the auditorium to be able to host the Eastern Coastal Hockey League team, the New Orleans Brass (1997-99), before the space was used for Mardi Gras balls again until 2005.

As a result of Hurricane Katrina, the auditorium received about five feet of flooding and the building was left abandoned as the city awaited FEMA funding to repair it.

During our community meetings, people remembered the musical history of the space. The Municipal Auditorium was an early venue for Jazz Fest, providing a familiar starting point for a festival that has since become a cultural touchstone for New Orleans. Legendary performers such as B.B. King, The Meters, and Nina Simone performed there during early festivals, with even more performing just outside in Congo Square.

This vibrant cultural history surrounded and filled the Municipal Auditorium since its original construction in 1930. It holds a special place in the lives of New Orleans residents and our plan intends to advance that vision.