City Council approves master plan funding for Armstrong Park and Municipal Auditorium after broad community support

The New Orleans City Council voted to authorize city funding and move forward with a master‑planning process for Armstrong Park and the Municipal Auditorium, a decision community groups called long overdue.

Council members adopted the motion after extensive public comment from musicians, cultural organizations and preservation advocates who urged that the planning process protect Congo Square’s cultural legacy and center local residents. “This is a great day,” said Sandra Stokes, a board member of Save Our Soul, praising the council and mayor for advancing the effort. Max Bonanno of Midcitizen Entertainment said the project could become “a central hub for the music community.”

The vote followed remarks from council leadership emphasizing the years of grassroots advocacy that led to the appropriation. Council members framed the action as a corrective step to return investment to the communities that have historically sustained New Orleans culture. Council President (at the dais) noted the council and mayor were finally “putting the money where the mouth is” after years of community organizing.

Speakers representing the Save Our Soul Coalition, the Congo Square Preservation Society and other community groups urged that any plan be culturally rooted, equitable and community‑led. Concerns raised in public comment included flood and stormwater vulnerability in the park footprint and the importance of protecting sacred sites; a speaker with WaterWise Gulf South urged integrating water infrastructure into the plan to address recurring flooding.

Council members and witnesses described the funding as a master‑planning step, not a final redevelopment decision. The motion approved the city’s next steps to develop a strategic master plan, pursue community‑led processes and explore funding and partnerships for reuse and programming. Jackie Harris, president of Save Our Soul, was singled out repeatedly by speakers for long‑running leadership in the effort.

The council’s action closes a policy gap between advocacy and funding but leaves technical and design work to the planning process; council members said subsequent steps will include community engagement and requests for proposals from planners or developers. The measure passed with unanimous support in the recorded vote.