The 20-acre Hyatt Jazz District will include an outdoorauditorium, new city government buildings and reconstruction of thehotel and Superdome. The development, expected to generate 6,500permanent jobs, is predicted to carry a $6-billion economic benefitover 20 years.

The first construction will focus on a complete overhaul of theHyatt Regency New Orleans at 500 Poydras Plaza, which had itssuperstructure remain relatively intact while the interiorsustained heavy storm damage. Part of the work calls for moving thehotel's entrance from Poydras to Loyola Avenue. The Hyattrenovation is scheduled for completion in late 2007.

"The advisory board has been at work on this for a good sixmonths, at least," says Jonathan Dedmon, a spokesman for theChicago-based Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc. which owns theHyatt Regency New Orleans. "This started coming together back inSeptember though." The hotel owner spent more than $2 million tocreate the advisory board and fund the planning.