New Orleans officials are expecting big crowds in the downtown area around the Superdome days in advance of Sunday's Super Bowl, so they are shutting down the nearby City Hall building on Friday.
City officials extended the hours at City Hall on Monday through Thursday to make up for Friday's planned closure.
Preparations for the game have already been causing traffic congestion in downtown New Orleans with lanes on heavily traveled Poydras Street in front of the Superdome closed to traffic.