As the same time New Orleans Budget Chair Council Member Joe Giarrusso is being advised the city’s 2025 budget is short tens of millions of dollars, Director of Finance Romy Samuel advised him on August 13, 2025, regarding commercially developing West End Lake Shore Park and Wildlife habitat: “What you assume is not the case.”

Giarrusso’s errors compare with former NOLA mayor Mitch Landrieu’s mistakes regarding moving the New Orleans airport to the north side of the runway.  In Landrieu’s attempt to leave a physical legacy, he destroyed a neighborhood and a 30-acre wetland. Landrieu either intentionally or accidentally overlooked the traffic problems and shortage of parking his project would cause. But most importantly, the capacity of the north side terminal is not adequate.

At the end of Romy Samuel’s 10-minute presentation to Giarrusso on the financial shortcomings of Giarrusso’s West End Lake Shore Park development, Giarrusso remarked that he had 152-days left in office to do a ground-breaking in the park for his photo-op. This could also be called a Heritage Tree Removal, as least 10 of the 29 Oak trees have to be removed for Giarrusso’s plan.  Instead of a golden shovel, photos should include elected officials holding golden chain saws cutting down 100-year old trees and chasing away nesting Bald Eagles and hundreds of Louisiana Brown Pelicans.

More than three years ago, The Hayride began publishing a series or articles regarding Giarrusso’s dream to convert the waterfront park into residences, bars, restaurants, and retail.  The first article published was titled: “New Orleans Pols’ West End Plan Ignores Science, Math, and Wildlife.”

Following articles included:

“New Orleans’ West End is a Train Wreck in Slow Motion” and

“We Can’t Keep Expanding New Orleans’ Disasters.”

As word spread of the revenue projection flaws and increased taxation in Giarrusso’s plan to destroy a green space with recreation and bring in Video Poker machines, The Hayride printed the article: “Big Coalition Unites to Save NOLA’s West End Lake Shore Park.”

Giarrusso backed down on his plan to put residences in the development. However, most think that once the bars and entertainment venues fail, the structure would be converted to residences.

Fortunately, NOLA’s  Finance Dept. and Jefferson Parish Officials have realized during meetings covering several months that Giarrusso’s math does not add up. The delays from those meetings now make developing West End Lake Shore Park a council campaign topic with three of the five candidates running choosing Quality of Life, Recreation, and Environmental over building more bars and restaurants in a “saturated” market.

To date, no elected or appointed official has publicly mentioned if the project violates the Eagle Protection Act or needs an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to evaluate all the pollution that will run-off into the lake from the development.

During 2023 and 2024 The MYHMC spent $280,000.00 on a 5^th Feasibility Study.  This study confirmed what the previous four studies concluded. The West End and Bucktown area are “saturated” with bars and restaurants.

That $289,000.00 could have been used to apply for matching grants of up to 4 to 1 for West End Lake Shore Park.

Giarrusso and the two council candidates, who both were staff members, supporting commercially developing the park and wildlife habitat have been asked why not consider developing nearby Breakwater Park which is home to the boat launch and fishing pier plus 100% in New Orleans and thus New Orleans would keep 100% of the revenue. None had an answer.

Giarrusso has favored a 2% sales tax increase to cover the additional fire and police needed to service his development. Given his assumption errors in New Orleans’ Budget there is not likely enough in the sales tax increase to cover the expenses incurred.