NEW ORLEANS — Frustration about the Hard Rock Hotel reached new levels this week when a tarp covering the remains of a dead worker pinned under the rubble blew aside and exposed part of his body.
But the frustration has simmered almost since day one.
One of the biggest questions: what's taking so long to take down the Hard Rock?
It's not an easy answer to find, but we can start with one old saying: follow the money.
It could be close to $25 million to demolish and clean up the site. The price tag for the crane implosion alone was $5 million.
Why were those able to come down so fast? An emergency declaration from the state.
It read in part "two large cranes continue to threaten to fall … posing an extreme danger.” That greatly sped up that process.
There are no imminent threats now. But the desire to get the building down remains. That's where insurance payments kicks in.
We're told 1031 Canal Street Development, the project's developer, has the insurance to cover the work. But we're also told some delays can be chalked up to insurance companies wanting to do their own investigations before they pay out.
There's also the question of who's in charge.
The developer still owns the building, but the city has control of it right now. And while the developer will have to pay for the demolition, the city has to give the OK before that can happen.
Eyewitness News legal analyst Chick Foret said if the city does anything on its own, you -- the taxpayer -- will likely foot the bill.
“The owner is probably sitting back and hoping that the city will take over the project, take over the responsibility from here and then the owner will say, 'OK, city of New Orleans. You made the decision,” Foret said.
But 1031 Canal said it’s working as fast as it can.
“The developer and the city of New Orleans have worked together to find the safest plan possible for demolition,” 1031 Canal Development wrote in a statement Thursday evening. “There is an injunction in place whereby any demolition plans must be approved by the Court. We have consulted with the leading experts in demolition to ensure that the best and safest plan is enacted.”
New Orleans City Council Members are calling for a public hearing on the Hard Rock collapse to make sure those responsible are held accountable.
City Council Vice President Jason Williams wrote in a statement he's "disappointed at the pace" of the demolition. And while he'd like to wait for formal investigations, "It is now abundantly clear that we as a city can no longer delay action on this matter."
City Council President Helena Moreno demanded new safeguards, writing:
"While we have been patient as the official investigation is still ongoing, ultimately, those responsible must be held to account - both for the victims and for the city as well so that we see to it that this never happens again."
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