I don't know the answers to this, but one thing I know is this: A category 4-5 hurricane was heading for New Orleans, and the entire Gulf coast for that matter. This hotel, and all of New Orleans should have started evacuations on Friday or sooner. As a resident of a coastal community, I can tell you this. When a hurricane heads our way, we make precautions. Mandatory evacuations in low lying areas happen early. We've not been hit in a long time, but I can tell you this. If I saw that monster heading my way, I would have found a way to get out in advance.
I am SO in agreement with you. I cannot FATHOM how anyone saw that monster coming towards the coast from outside Pensacola to the western state line of Louisiana STAYED where they were. That storm took up almost the entire Gulf.
If you were sitting in your home waiting for some mayor or governor or local official to tell you to leave and you were able-bodied, then you were an IDIOT.
And the mayor was an idiot to put off mandatory evacs when he looked at that storm and kept all those school buses parked where they were, never intended to help get people out ahead of time.
Those tourists had no way of getting out. They were targets, trapped, and they deserved to get the hell out of there.