Successful Meetings - March 2008 - (Page 60)

Meeting Sites ESSENTIAL TOOL BOX Convention Center: Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, 1.1 million sf of dedicated exhibit space; 140 meeting rooms, 2 ballrooms, and 4,032-seat auditorium. Total Hotel Rooms: 32,000 For complete listings, visit Quick Facility Search at www.mimegasite.com New Orleans OPEN CITY: For those who still haven’t heard, New Orleans is open for meetings and leisure business. The $62 million renovation of the Morial Convention Center is complete; in fact, according to the New Orleans CVB, the facility hosted 94 significant conventions, trade shows, and meetings in 2007. All major attractions and cultural institutions are open. Hotel room inventory, which was 38,000 before Katrina, is now at 32,000 and climbing, and there are more restaurants than ever. By Terri Hardin ENOUGH, ALREADY It’s a myth, says Jeff O’Hara, president, PRA New Orleans, Mardi Gras World; Steamboat Natchez; and the Creole Queen, are operating, as well as the Children’s Museum. Daily Business Costs*: Hotel $149.22 F&B $85.49 Car Rental $103.50 For More Information: New Orleans CVB www.neworleanscvb.com *Business Travel News 2007 Corporate Travel Index Bacco, and perhaps take part in “that the service industry is still New Orleans Museum of Art and suffering the aftereffects of Hur- Besthoff Sculpture Garden, the ricane Katrina. In reality, there are more restaurants open than before the storm, there is new hotel product (as almost every hotel has undergone a major renovation in the past two years), the new sanitation contract has the French Quarter cleaner than ever, the city is bright, and the Dogs like Mardi Gras, too staff is welcoming.” All the major attractions in Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the city, including the Harrah’s the National World War II Casino; the Audubon Zoo, Museum, the Contemporary Arts Center, and the Louisiana Aquarium, and IMAX Theatre; For a large group of 500 or so, O’Hara recommends off-site venues like the Contemporary Arts Center or the Pan American Conference Center, having a a cooking class. And all might consider joining Habitat for Humanity in homebuilding, for which need does remain. at the famous Arnaud’s, taking a river cruise, or possibly building a Mardi Gras float and staging a private parade. Smaller groups (100 or fewer) might enjoy a reception in the National World War II Museum or line up on the balcony of the Bourbon Vieux, and dining at Commander’s Palace or Brennan’s. dinner READERS RECOMMEND Our subscribers gave Pinnacle Awards to the following: New Orleans CVB Louisiana’s Northshore/St. Tammany Parish Hotel Monteleone For more listings, visit Facility Quick Search at www.mimegasite.com Intimate groups can use the Elms Mansion or Latrobe’s as a venue, eating at Bayona and New to The Big Easy In Jan, the 500-room Royal Sonesta debuted a new luxury boardroom that can accommodate up to 14, featuring teleconferencing capabilities and fully supported AV. The 131-room Royal Cosmopolitan condotel is expected to break ground early this year as a $50 million conversion of the 100-year-old Astor Hotel building. The iconic, 114-year-old, 500-room Fairmont New Orleans is expected to be converted into a Waldorf=Astoria hotel, after Royal $100 million in refurbishments. Sonesta The Louis Armstrong Int’l Airport is now providing free Wi-Fi to the traveling public on the second level of the terminal building. Phase II upgrades to the Louisiana Superdome, completed prior to the 2007 football season, included completion of 137 private suites and redesign and enhancements to the four ballrooms. Phase III, beginning early this year, will replace the venue’s exterior, add private access to the four club lounges, and install large windows in the outer walls of the lounges. —TH MARCH 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS 60 http://www.mimegasite.com http://www.neworleanscvb.com http://www.mimegasite.com

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Successful Meetings - March 2008 Contents Editor's Note Suppliers On the Record Research Associations Planner's Spotlight Management Matters Mouth for Sale Meetings Law Pre-Event Pre-Event Tools of the Trade On Site Quick Tip Critical Conditions A Family Affair Conference Centers We Love CSM of the Year Places & Spaces Luxury Las Vegas New York CIty Houston New Orleans Quebec Bahamas Oahu & Big Island Florida Keys Gurus

Successful Meetings - March 2008

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