 | BY CHAD CALDER | Staff writer |
Good morning and thanks for joining us. Here are some of today's top headlines.
How the deal was done: Last year's announcement by Meta that the company plans to build one of the biggest single-site data centers on the planet in north Louisiana made headlines. Stephanie Riegel has the inside story of how the deal came together.
Promoting New Orleans: New Orleans chef Wilfredo Avelar and a team of local tourism marketing professionals are keeping busy promoting the Crescent City at a massive food trade show in Lyon, France, an event linked to two prestigious culinary competitions. Ian McNulty has this dispatch, including a bit of news that New Orleans could be hosting a pair of semifinal events in 2026.
Hotels in demand: Super Bowl LIX is just two weeks away, and hotels are in high demand. How high? Anthony McAuley reports a room at a Motel 6 in Gentilly can be yours that weekend for $625 a night.
Thanks for reading. Check back throughout the day for more news, entertainment and sports from The Times-Picayune. Chad | 
