NEW YORK — Sadly, after a three-year run, Louisiana will not roll in this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City as our partners at WBRZ report.
Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser told the Baton Rouge Press Club that the decision not to have a float in the nationally televised parade was made because last year’s appearance cost the state too much money compared to the return in increased tourism dollars.
Nungesser said the Louisiana float that appeared in the Rose Parade returned $28 million in revenue for the state’s $1 million investment in the float.
"We won't be in the Macy's parade this year," Nungesser said. "It was the end of a three-year contract, and because they moved the float by so quickly and we looked at the return on our investment, it just doesn't come close to the investment and the return we get (in California)."
The gator float first joined the parade in 2021 as tourism leaders hoped that the display would promote Louisiana as a tourism destination that was welcoming visitors back after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 98th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be broadcast nationwide in the United States on NBC Thursday, November 28, 2024.
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