A $106 million settlement for a building that never opened

Countries & Cities · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 2019, a 190-foot high-rise in New Orleans partially collapsed during construction, killing three workers. The project—intended to be the Hard Rock Hotel—became a symbol of structural failure and legal gridlock, eventually resulting in a massive settlement for victims despite no criminal charges being filed.

The site at 1031 Canal Street was originally home to a Woolworth store built in the 1930s. After the company went out of business in the 1990s, the land sat vacant until developer Praveen Kailas received approval in 2011 to build a multi-use complex. By 2018, a partnership with Hard Rock International was announced, intending to create a luxury hotel featuring 350 rooms and an upscale restaurant. A partial collapse occurred on the North Rampart Street side during a disaster on 12 October 2019. The disaster killed three workers—Jose Ponce Arreola, Anthony Magrette, and Quinnyon Wimberly—and injured dozens more. A subsequent OSHA investigation in April 2020 concluded that a structural engineer had failed to adequately design or approve steel bolt connections, which compromised the building's integrity.

The legal aftermath was protracted. While the New Orleans Office of Inspector General recommended felony charges against three former city building inspectors, a grand jury declined to indict anyone in October 2023, citing a lack of certainty and restricted evidence from OSHA. Meanwhile, Hard Rock International faced significant brand damage and a local boycott, leading them to contribute $5 million for crane removal while asserting they had no direct involvement in construction. The site remained a ruin until the towers were demolished in late 2019. On July 14, 2025, the location was designated a historic landmark, signaling a shift toward creating a permanent memorial. Finally, on August 6, 2026, a $106 million settlement was reached to compensate victims of the collapse.

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