In March 2019, to celebrate its 125th anniversary, New Orleans’ Roosevelt Hotel launched a unique promotion: a prize package worth $15,000, including seven nights in a presidential suite, a private dinner, and spa treatments. The catch? It was only awarded to whoever returned the "most outrageous item" ever stolen from the hotel.
The playful initiative tapped into the hotel’s long history, inviting former guests or visitors to come clean about past thefts—no questions asked—for a chance at the lavish reward. It turned a potential source of frustration (missing hotel items) into a lighthearted celebration, blending nostalgia with intrigue.
While the specifics of which "outrageous item" ultimately won remain part of the hotel’s lore, the promotion highlighted the Roosevelt’s quirky charm, turning its 125th anniversary into a memorable event that sparked curiosity and engagement with its rich past.
