Tourism leaders and business owners are hoping the 2026 X Games will bring an economic boost to New Orleans.
This the first time the city has ever hosted the X Games Championship and it comes during a notoriously slow time of year.
“When we looked at last year over this weekend, we’re up a good percentage,” Mary Beth Romig with New Orleans and Company said. “So we’re at peak night 67% hotel occupancy, and for the last weekend in July that’s a good number.”
The games are bringing in a brand new audience to New Orleans
“It skews younger definitely because this demographic that follows X Games, it’s not your traditional football crowd or a crowd that would come for Jazz Fest necessarily, so that’s what we’re excited about,” Romig said.
Ahead of the event, the X Games highlighted local businesses on their social media, encouraging fans to shop small while they’re here.
One of the businesses featured was Humidity Skate Shop.
“We’ve been here since the year 2000, and Humidity has been a skate shop since 1996. So if you’re a skateboarder and you really love skateboarding, you love skateboarding culture, we’re here for you,” Stephen Serrano said.
During slow summer months, they’re hoping the games will bring in more customers.
“It would be great, you know it’s good it would be awesome, especially because of the construction that’s happening, it’s definitely a cool little boost,” Serrano said.
Though it’s the first time the championship has come to New Orleans, the city has it’s own skating community, which leaders hope will show up and support.
“There’s some Louisiana athletes competing, so we think we might get a strong drive-in market, that’s what we’re anticipating,” she said.
The games are happening throughout the weekend, with musical performances happening Friday and Saturday night at Smoothie King Center.
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