New Orleans’ long-delayed River District project was thrown into turmoil Thursday after the consortium leading the development abruptly withdrew from negotiations with the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center just hours before the Convention Center’s oversight board was to vote on sweeping changes to the project.

The Convention Center's new CEO Jim Cook told the board at Thursday's meeting that he was ready to move forward but that River District Neighborhood Investors — the consortium led by local developer Louis Lauricella — had informed him earlier in the day that they no longer wanted to.

He told Board Chair Russel Allen he had no further information.

The consortium’s withdrawal effectively collapses a tentative agreement that had been set for approval Thursday, which would have str

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