NEW ORLEANS — Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to gather in downtown New Orleans over the weekend leading up to the College Football Championship game Monday at the Superdome.
City and state officials said Friday they were prepared for the incoming crowds and severe weather expected to roll in with them, asking residents to have patience and be mindful of the extra stress on the city's infrastructure.
"We have been planning on this ... over thousands of hours," said New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
Cantrell and emergency service officials said they would be fully staffed over the weekend, with NOPD officers on 12-hour shifts and full deployment for the New Orleans Fire Department and EMS as they prepare for an expected increase in the number of 9-1-1 calls throughout the city.
The huge crowds in the French Quarter and the CBD are also expected to cause traffic problems for days leading up to the game.
"This will be a very crowded weekend," said NOPD Chief Shaun Ferguson. "We expect major traffic congestion."
Drivers should expect traffic blocks on major roadways, according to Collin Arnold, the head of the city's Office of Homeland Security.
"On the game day itself, I cannot stress enough that people need to be patient, they need to plan ahead, they need to get here early," Arnold said. "There are going to be temporary, intermittent traffic closures on major roadways in New Orleans, in this metro area, around game time. that's a fact and people need to be ready for it."
Much of the crowd won't be attending the game itself, instead watching from bars and barbecues.
"You should anticipate hundreds of thousands of people coming that maybe don't even have a ticket to the game," Arnold said. "They're coming to have a good time in the French Quarter."
President Donald Trump is even expected to be one of the fans at the game, even though rumors of a presidential visit to the championship game have not been officially confirmed.
City leaders say they have already factored presidential complications into their planning for the weekend and for Monday's game.
"We're prepared for POTUS, should that happen," said Cantrell. "We have made sure (we are in) constant communication with our federal partners. That's all been factored in."
Ahead of the game, the U.S. Secret Service released a list of prohibited items that would not be allowed into the Superdome, a standard practice for presidential sporting event visits.
Here is that list:
City officials are also concerned about a line of severe weather expected to form quickly before the weekend and rush through the New Orleans metro area.
The latest estimates put the highest risk for the area between 10 a.m. and noon Saturday, but storms and high winds could persist through game day.
Several inches of rain are expected to fall before next Wednesday, but the biggest threat comes from wind gusts up to 70 mph that are expected to tear through parts of southern Louisiana.
The winds could topple power lines and cause damage to trees and property.
Entergy Louisiana has already sent warnings to some customers about the threat of losing power Saturday.
Officials are also keeping a close eye on the site of the Hard Rock Hotel collapse, which is still unstable three months after part of the structure initially fell.
"As we emphasize every time we talk about that structure, it is an unstable building. Thats why you have the large evacuation zone that exists today," said NOFD Chief Tim McConnell. "There will be no one in that area due to the idea that something could move on that building or come off of it."
He urged people to stay away from the site even after the worst of the severe weather had passed.
City and state officials emphasized the importance of keeping a level head over the weekend when the crowds hit their peak.
"We are also encouraging everyone to exude patience," said Ferguson. "We need a lot of patience this weekend."
The LSU Tigers will take on the Clemson Tigers for the championship at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13.
More Stories:
RELATED: Whether you're selling or staying, here are the best trends to give your old house a fresh look
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.
