New Orleans native Sleepy Johnson could only laugh as he surveyed the scene on Bourbon Street from behind his hot dog cart.

Across the street, a tight crowd of tourists and locals whooped, jigged and hollered as the "To Be Continued Brass Band" transformed the corner of Bourbon and Canal into its personal sound stage.

On down the legendary street, dozens of jam-packed bars and nightclubs loaned their own soundtracks — live jazz and blues, blaring hip-hop, soft country — to the cacophony of the closed passage and hundreds of people, many sporting $1 beers in plastic cups, sauntered on and off the sidewalks.

"We've been through some ups and downs since Katrina," Johnson said. "But with the bowls in town now, we're doing a lot better.

"The best part of it is that we're getting a chance to show people what New Orleans is all about. There was so much stuff on the news and they only showed the negative. They didn't show the good side of this town, which is what we have here tonight — people just enjoying themselves and finding out that we're humble people here."

For those up and down the New Orleans economic food chain, the good times began last week with the New Orleans Bowl and will continue on through the New Year's Day Sugar Bowl — which pits the No. 10-ranked University of Hawai'i Warriors against the No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs — to the BCS Championship Game between LSU and Ohio State on Jan. 7.

University of New Orleans economist Janet Speyrer has estimated that the trio of high-profile games will bring $500 million to New Orleans.

That doesn't include Mardi Gras season, which begins Jan. 6.

For Johnson, that's a lot of hot dogs.

"It's a lot more business," Johnson said. "Although, I myself enjoy watching all the eye candy."

The influx of money is sorely needed in an economy still trying to regain its footing after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when nearly half of all downtown businesses were flooded.

BUSINESS BOOMING

Mulate's Restaurant, a popular Cajun eatery near the Morial Convention Center, escaped the waters but suffered significant damage in the ensuing wave of vandalism. The restaurant reopened four months later in a small banquet space with just three employees.

Last night, Mulate's was filled to its 500-plus capacity as patrons, most from out of town, attacked steaming offerings of crawfish, jambalaya and grilled alligator or danced in elegant circles to the accordion-driven music of the house band.

"I think it's awesome for us and for New Orleans," said server J.C. Hernandez, who has been with Mulate's for six years. "This is just the second Sugar Bowl since Katrina and we really weren't sure what to expect. We hoped for the best, and that's what we're seeing."

William DiPaola, assistant general manager of Dickie Brennan's Palace Café, said local patrons have helped the longtime New Orleans fixture rebound from the hurricane, but the bowl games are "extremely important."

"We're very blessed and I think it's wonderful that these games are able to contribute so much to our city," he said.

For taxi driver Joseph Fritz, originally from Haiti, the bowl games have been great for business but terrible for his sleep. With potential passengers waving from every sidewalk, Fritz said he's been working 16 to 18 hours every day — with no end in sight until after Mardi Gras.

"It's slower most of the year," Fritz said. "But right now it's good. Very good."

Alex Fleming, who works at the Cigar Factory on Bourbon Street, said he anticipated a healthy influx of visitors from LSU — "I figured it would be Mardi Gras II when they came," he said — but he wasn't prepared for such a strong contingent from Hawai'i.

"What surprised me is that people from Hawai'i actually came all the way out here," Fleming said. "I didn't think they'd come, but then all of a sudden it was, like, 'Holy crap, look at all the Asians!' It's been good. It's been good."

Fleming estimates that business over the next month will exceed the shop's monthly average by about 80 percent.

BOWL SEASON DELIVERS

While retailers in other states rely heavily on the Christmas season to offset slower periods, in New Orleans the bowl season delivers the greatest economic impact.

"Here, the last quarter of the year is dead because Thanksgiving and Christmas — people just don't come," said Lenny Motwani, president of the Magnolia Group, which owns several retail outlets in the city.

"December was really slow for us. We needed this bowl thing to help us. With the BCS games and Mardi Gras, January is going to be huge."

Like Fleming, Motwani said he has been surprised by how many UH fans were willing to make the trip to his city.

"We were just amazed when we found out that they bought the 14,000 tickets and were still asking for more," Motwani said. "Me and other business owners never thought that people from Hawai'i would travel two days to get here. But they're here and the hotel rooms are filling up."

At last count, roughly 15,000 Sugar Bowl tickets had been gobbled up by Warriors fans and the UH athletic department continues to sell tickets from its station at the team hotel.

Ed and Norma Guenther of Kailua decided just two weeks ago to come after finding a good deal through Travel Ways.

Like other itinerant Warrior faithful, they're rounding their bowl experience with an in-depth exploration of New Orleans.

The Guenthers arrived Wednesday morning and by yesterday had availed themselves of much of what the city has to offer, including a visit to Mardi Gras World, breakfast at Brennan's, a tour of the city, dinner at Court of Two Sisters. Also on their itinerary: a visit to the Tabasco factory, a tour of Louisiana swamps and the New Year's Eve bash hosted by the Na Koa Football Club.

"We didn't budget," Ed Guenther said. "This is the chance of a lifetime, so we're just going for it."

That's music to the ears of Chris Davis, a trumpet player for the "To Be Continued Brass Band." While Davis said the band plays on the street primarily in the hopes of gaining the ear of a record company talent scout, the cardboard tip box last night overflowed with tourist dollars.

"Things are getting better around here," Davis said. "I like (bowl games) because they're bringing back the crowds and people can see that it's getting better. I don't know nothing about that $500 million that's supposed to come in but I'm hoping that I can get my hands on some of it."

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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