Superdome puts renovation work on pause one last time ahead of 30th Essence

In less than a week, New Orleans hosts the 30th Essence Festival, and the Superdome is ready as it nears completion of is years-long overhaul.

"We will be delivering Essence Fest here, not this weekend but the following," Superdome General Manager Evan Holmes told members of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District on Thursady.

Holmes said this is the last Essence Festival they should have to clean up for, since the half-billion dollar renovation of the Dome is almost complete.

"The floor is not full of piles of garbage," Holmes said, "so we are transitions out of construction and into event mode."

This year's Essence, Holmes said, is poised to be another success.

"They are doing very well right now: they've announced Usher, they have Janet Jackson, they've got Frankie Beverly who's kind of moved a lot of tickets for them," he said.

Essence begins on the 4th of July, and ends Sunday, July 7.