About New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau

No place loves its food quite as sincerely as New Orleans. Some people eat to live, but New Orleanians live to eat. As a result, the city offers one of the most incredible – and incredibly diverse – concentrations of exceptional dining and unforgettable cuisine in the world. There’s nothing better than a dine-around dinner where you can get a taste of the some famous dishes from well-known local hotspots and visitor favorites from our more than 1,130 restaurants.

New Orleans is equipped to host meetings from 30,000 to 30, with 35,500 hotel rooms available in the city, 210 properties in the New Orleans Metropolitan area within a 2.1 mile radius. This includes elegantly appointed, modern corporate high-rises to an eclectic mix of beautiful and enchanting boutique properties and quaint, historic bed and breakfasts. The entire hotel community has undergone more than $400 million in renovations and continues to add meeting space. 

Adding nearly 1,200 high quality rooms to the city's inventory, Hyatt Regency New Orleans is being completely repositioned and is set to open in the fall of 2011. The hotel is undergoing a multi-million dollar redevelopment, doubling its meeting and exhibition space to 200,000 square feet.

Our major meeting venue, the New Orleans Morial Convention Center is one of the largest convention centers in the nation with 1.1 million square feet of contiguous exhibit space; two 30,000 square feet ballrooms; high speed wi-fi, 4,000-seat Conference Auditorium, 12 separate/combinable exhibit halls, 140 meeting rooms and a team of seasoned industry professionals. Following a well-received response to a $60 million makeover in 2006, the New Orleans Morial Convention Center has undergone $20 million in renovations in 2008 and 2009, with $11 million more invested into the building in 2010. The Center boasts an internet infrastructure of 10 gigabytes, making it the largest, most technologically advanced convention center in the United States.

New Orleans has emerged as a new hub of the world biotechnology industry. The New Orleans BioInnovation Center, nearing completion on Canal Street, will open its doors in March to a new generation of innovators. Situated between the Greater New Orleans Biosciences Economic Development District and the New Orleans Medical District, the center offers 66,000 square feet of state of the art wet-lab, office and conference space. The facility boasts a flexible 100-person conferencing center with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment; a 2,000-square-foot retail/food service area open to Canal Street; and an interior atrium facing the courtyard, with public break areas at each level. Also utilizing sustainable "green" building technologies, the building will be protected by operable sunscreens to limit energy costs, create comfortable lighting for its occupants, and provide storm protection. 

The new Louisiana Cancer Research Center (LCRC) is currently under construction in downtown New Orleans, thus adding another element of quality healthcare to the growing biosciences district. LCRC will serve as the hub for medical research and as a teaching epicenter for the next generation of doctors. The collaborative cancer research and education program will optimize discovery and development of innovative cancer therapies, provide clinical treatment programs for early detection, treatment and prevention of cancer and contribute to regional economic growth.

Another component of the emerging biosciences industry in New Orleans, the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System Replacement Medical Center Project is underway and will create an environment that honors Veterans and their families. Located on an approximately 30-acre site in New Orleans, the facility will serve as a model for health care of the future by setting standards for patient-centered care, flexibility, and sustainability. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2013 with full activation in 2014 and will serve over 70,000 enrolled Veterans.

Home to the Super Bowl XLIV champs, the New Orleans Saints, the spectacular Louisiana Superdome has received a $219 million facelift, including wrapping the iconic building's exterior with shiny new aluminum panels.  Still more improvements-$85 million worth-during the summers of 2010 and 2011, will provide improved sideline seating, a wider main concourse, two field level lounges and 16 additional private suites.  The work will be completed in time for the Superdome to host the 2012 BCS College Football Championship, 2012 NCAA Men's Final Four, 2013 Women's Final Four and the 2013 Super Bowl.

With the first phase opening in November of 2009, plans to quadruple the size of the National World War II Museum are right on schedule with the newest phase in the expansion, The U.S. Freedom Pavilion: Land, Sea and Air, breaking ground last month. This new addition will expand the facility into a six-acre campus with 300,000 square feet of exhibition space. The $35 million attraction will open in spring of 2012 as part of the $300 million expansion project.

New Orleans is remarkably compact and easy to navigate, with many of the city's attractions, accommodations and event venues within walking distance of each other, lending itself to great networking and productive business ventures. In addition, the walkability of the city means built-in transportation cost savings for planners and contributes to a greener event and ultimate convenience for attendees. Or, for $1.25 visitors can make their way up through New Orleans on the famous Streetcar lines. Also, a $400 million modernization and improvement project is underway at the Louis Armstrong International airport, in preparation for the 2013 Super Bowl.

For both large and small groups, New Orleans offers complimentary marketing tools and a full-time Director of Group PR to assist with customized marketing plans and support with promotional tools from the minute you book your meeting until your last attendee leaves.

New Orleans is home to the best and most unique travel experience in the country. And, more and more groups are discovering New Orleans for the wealth of "voluntourism" community service opportunities available to expand philanthropic efforts, strengthen brands and foster teambuilding...all in all, a good business decision. It matters when you meet in New Orleans. Not only are delegates giving New Orleans glowing testimonials as an authentic meeting destination, they leave knowing they have had a profound impact on the people of New Orleans.

For more information, visit www.neworleanscvb.com.