Zach Kupperman, who owns the building that will be transformed into an entertainment center, is developing the concept with Freedia and several other local investors, according to Nola. Hotel Freedia, which is expected to open for business by 2024, will only have five rooms. Despite its name, the building will serve more as a music club and bar with food. The venue will also include an outdoor pool-party space.

“The hotel is not the economic driver of it,” Reid Martin, Freedia’s manager and a partner in the project, told Nola. “It’s primarily a music venue and a pool party spot. Think of a country club with a music venue.”

The new entertainment center will host Freedia’s performances, as well as other local and national artists.

“Obviously, Frenchmen Street is all about local music so we want to have a lot of local music going on, but we’re also interested in having some national music coming in,” Martin said.

Freedia said the idea for the project came during the pandemic.

“Not being able to go out and work during the pandemic, cooking brought so much light and creativity. It just really got me interested in doing a restaurant,” Freedia said. “And I always had a dream of opening a hotel, so it just kind of came together that way.”

While the restaurant and music venue will be located on the ground floor, the hotel rooms will be found on the second floor. The pool and clubhouse will be located in the adjacent open space. Martin said the redevelopment costs about $5 million.

Hotel Freedia also plans to sell memberships through NFTs. However, Martin said membership will not necessarily be limited to NFT holders.