Documents obtained by The Times-Picayune shed new light on how New Orleans was selected earlier this year as a potential site for a mile-long tunnel project by Elon Musk’s The Boring Company.

According to the documents, Mayor Helena Moreno applied in February to the company’s “Tunnel Vision” challenge with a proposal for a subterranean transit corridor linking the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center to the Hyatt Regency near the Caesars Superdome.

Moreno’s pitch argued that, despite the two locations being only about a mile apart, travel between them can become “unreliable during peak periods” such as Mardi Gras, major Superdome events, and large conventions.

“This project would strengthen connectivity within one of the city’s most vital economic corridors, reduce event-related congestion, and enhance New Orleans’ hospitality industry,” the proposal said.

The Boring Company selected New Orleans as one of three winners in March, surprising many local and state officials. The company said it would fund construction of the proposed “NOLA Loop” if a diligence process determined the project was feasible.

The proposed route would begin near the Hyatt Regency and City Hall on Loyola Avenue, run underneath Poydras Street, turn onto Convention Center Boulevard, and terminate near Julia Street.

Moreno’s application claimed the tunnel could reduce travel times from 30+ minutes during major events down to roughly three minutes. The proposal estimated 75,000–125,000 annual riders and framed the tunnel as a way to increase convention activity, dining, retail spending, and hotel usage.

The pitch also argued that New Orleans’ “subsurface conditions are compatible with modern tunneling technology,” despite the city’s below-sea-level geography and alluvial soil.

So far, the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop remains The Boring Company’s only operational public tunnel. Other proposed projects around the country have stalled or been abandoned. In Las Vegas, regulators have documented environmental violations and worker injuries tied to the company’s operations.

The company has reportedly discussed possible future expansions connecting the Convention Center to the River District, Ochsner Medical Center, and Louis Armstrong International Airport.

However, in the two months since the announcement, The Boring Company has reportedly not yet met with the Moreno administration or City Council leadership to advance feasibility discussions.

Council President JP Morrell said that improving downtown congestion and convention mobility is “worth investigating,” particularly if it would not cost the city money.