Is the Gulf Coast Open for Business?

Host: Mercatus Center. Three years after Hurricane Katrina, rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast have been plagued by well-documented challenges. But left largely unexplored is the question of what’s working on the ground. In Louisiana and Mississippi, entrepreneurs and the commercial sector have been quietly playing a critical role in helping communities rebuild, create jobs, and re-establish a sense of normality. A panel discussion with The Honorable Tim Roemer, former Congressman from Indiana and Mercatus Center Distinguished Scholar; Paul Conway, Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding; Emily Byram, Friends of New Orleans; Tim Williamson, Idea Village; Matt Mayer, Provisum Strategies; Steven Horwitz, Mercatus Center Senior Scholar; and Carol DeVita, Urban Institute will answer the questions: What’s working in the commercial sector in post-Katrina recovery? Why is it working? And, how can public policy better support the critical role that commercial actors, from small entrepreneurs to large companies, play in responding to disasters and rebuilding communities?