This year, the Seattle Police Department will be keeping a close eye on the festivities using the temporary cameras installed throughout Pioneer Square.

In 2001, the party and the Mardi Gras crowd got out of hand when a riot erupted and 20-year-old Kristofer Kime was killed.

The Seattle Police Department was heavily criticized for not controlling the situation earlier.

Every year since the death, extra police have patrolled Pioneer Square during the Fat Tuesday celebrations.

Since the death, some say Mardi Gras isn't what it used to be in Pioneer Square. Some popular bars have closed their doors, such as the J & M Cafe, which went bankrupt.

Adrian Mowbray, who works at the Central Saloon, said a lot of partygoers are heading to other night spots such as Belltown or Capitol Hill. He said the previous acts of violence and the extra police force on big nights are to blame.

Six weeks ago, three people walking near Pioneer Square were shot by a man who stepped out of an alley and started firing a gun.

Seattle police maintain they need to have extra officers on duty for Mardi Gras to keep a watchful eye on partiers.

Tuesday night, a number of Pioneer Square bars and restaurants are offering joint cover charge promotions and splashy New Orleans-style shows for Fat Tuesday to attract business.