FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:
Mary Beth Romig
New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau
504-566-5019 / 504-606-8430 (cell)
mbromig@neworleanscvb.com

Erica Papillion
New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau
504-566-5019
epapillion@neworleanscvb.com

NEW ORLEANS CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU ISSUES
“STATE OF THE CITY” REPORT, AUGUST 2007
Two years after Katrina, New Orleans’ vital tourism industry celebrates successes,
looks to the future with optimism

NEW ORLEANS – August 9, 2007 – As the nation prepares to commemorate the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on August 29th, the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (New Orleans CVB) is reflecting on the extraordinary progress achieved in the past two years for tourism—New Orleans’ number one industry, largest employer and a critical force in rebuilding the areas of the city that still are in recovery.

The resurgence of the tourism industry began in early 2006 with a strong return of Mardi Gras and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center re-opening after a multi-million-dollar renovation and the first citywide convention—the American Library Association. Progress continued in the fall with the return of cruise ships, many successful meetings including the National Association of Realtors®, and the reopening of the Louisiana Superdome, which is now considered one of the most memorable nights in NFL history.

In 2007 alone, New Orleans has safely and successfully hosted more than one million visitors for ESSENCE Music Festival, Mardi Gras, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, French Quarter Festival, major sporting events, cultural festivals, corporate meetings, large citywide conventions such as the American College of Cardiology, Risk & Insurance Management Society and more.

Today, airlines are adding new flights to Louis Armstrong International Airport; the city has one of the freshest hotel products in the country; the French Quarter is cleaner than it has been in decades and we continue to receive extremely positive testimonials from visitors. Major corporations such as Carnival Cruise Lines, Southwest Airlines and others are investing in New Orleans’ hospitality industry; new restaurants are opening; festivals are enjoying record-breaking attendance; armies of college students and volunteers are traveling to the city to participate in life-changing “voluntourism” projects; and the New Orleans CVB is aggressively booking leisure and convention business for the future.

“The rich New Orleans cultural experience that has existed for hundreds of years is alive and well,” said Stephen Perry, president & CEO of the New Orleans CVB. “In the coming weeks, as areas of the recovery are scrutinized, and the focus may be on more negative than positive stories, we want to remind everyone that New Orleans also is a city where soul PROVED waterproof … a place of hope, resilience and life. On behalf of the entire hospitality community of New Orleans, we extend a profound thank you to every individual visitor, travel professional, volunteer, executive, meeting professional, meeting attendee, exhibitor, organization, corporation and association that has supported us and participated in the rebirth of one of the greatest destinations in the world.”

2007 Milestones

The New Orleans CVB, in partnership with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, launched a new summer concert series, “Saturdays in the Park: Live Music in Washington Square.” The concerts, which will be held Saturday afternoons from August 11-September 8, 2007, are intended to stimulate tourism and to serve as “welcome home” parties for new and newly returned New Orleans residents. The concerts will take place in Washington Square Park, in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and are free and open to the public.

The first weekend of August saw more great summer events in New Orleans. Satchmo Summerfest, August 2-5, 2007 and the Contemporary Arts Center’s (CAC) Whitney White Linen Night, August 4, 2007, both embraced thousands. Early estimates from the CAC, put White Linen Night’s attendance at approximately 18,000. Satchmo Scummerfest, which celebrates the life of Louis Armstrong, featured music and food in the French Quarter and White Linen Night celebrates New Orleans’ arts community in the Warehouse District.

On July 31, 2007, Harrah’s Casino announced that it will welcome back Earl Turner’s “Complete Entertainment Experience” for a limited engagement August 8-September 1, 2007. Turner returns to New Orleans after a two-year absence and will perform Wednesdays-Sundays at 7 p.m.

The New Orleans Arena hosted ArenaBowl XXI Sunday, July 29, 2007. With an approximate attendance of 17,000 and economic impact of $15 million, ArenaBowl XXI was the first sell-out at a neutral site in Arena Football League history. The San Jose Sabercats defeated the Columbus Destroyers in the match-up.

Carnival Corp. announced July 26, 2007 that it will keep the 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy in New Orleans at least through 2008 and has a two-year option that would be a positive step forward in keeping Carnival Cruise Lines in New Orleans through 2010.

The Board of Directors of the New Orleans CVB is pleased to announce that for the second year in a row that its President & CEO, Stephen Perry, has been honored by Meeting News Magazine (July 16, 2007 issue) as one of the “25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry.”

Tales of the Cocktail, a cocktail and culinary festival headquartered at the Hotel Monteleone, celebrated its fifth birthday July 18-22, 2007. From educational seminars to fine dining, Tales of the Cocktail drew an estimated 12,000 attendees.

On July 9, 2007, the New Orleans CVB launched the new Web site, 24NOLA, an interactive Web site and itinerary planning tool for visitors who want to experience New Orleans culture as locals do. 24NOLA was created to celebrate New Orleans’ culture and provide an immediate call to action to visit the city. This Web site is a new, interactive component of the New Orleans CVB’s 2007 strategic marketing, public relations and re-branding campaign, “Forever New Orleans.” Visit www.24NOLA.com.

July 5-7, 2007 saw the successful return of the ESSENCE Music Festival, the largest African-America festival in the country. After a one-year absence, ESSENCE July 5-7, 2007 was a significant New Orleans milestone, with over 200,000 attendees and over $100 million in economic impact.

The American Heart Association (AHA)/American Stroke Association (ASA) has re-confirmed New Orleans as the destination for two major conferences in 2008, bringing millions of dollars in economic impact to the city. The American Stroke Association, a division of AHA, will hold the International Stroke Conference February 20-22, 2008, with the State-of-the-Art Stroke Nursing Symposium being held one day prior to the event on February 19. Total attendance is expected to be 5,500. AHA’s Annual Scientific Sessions is slated for New Orleans, November 9-12, 2008, with an approximate attendance of 27,500.

The 3^rd Annual COOLinary New Orleans was launched by the New Orleans CVB July 6, 2007 and will feature special lunch and dinner menus from over 30 restaurants that will offer special three-course lunch menus for $20.07 or less and three-course dinner menus for $30.07 or less throughout the months of July, August and September.

On June 27, 2007, Southwest Airlines announced the addition of eight daily nonstop roundtrip flights from New Orleans to five cities including new service to the much requested Birmingham, and additional service to Houston Hobby, Dallas Love Field, Las Vegas and Orlando. The service begins November 4, 2007 with 1,000 added daily seats and represents a 30 percent capacity increase for Southwest Airlines in New Orleans.

Building on the strength of tourism in the first half of 2007, in May the New Orleans CVB launched the “Be A Tourist in Your Own Hometown” Campaign to encourage local residents to experience New Orleans’ cultural attractions. For decades, visitors have flocked to the city to take part in the timeless and vibrant New Orleans experience and now it’s the city’s residents’ turn to experience the art galleries, museums, shops, boutiques, hotels, restaurants, special events and attractions unlike anywhere else in the country. Commercials featuring recording artist Lenny Kravitz, Irma Thomas, Emeril Lagasse, Drew Brees and Sidney Torres IV began airing in May to promote www.touristathome.com.

According to festival organizers, the 1^st Annual New Orleans Seafood Festival, the Cajun/Zydeco Festival and the Creole Tomato Festival, all taking place June 8-10, 2007, drew an estimated crowd of nearly 40,000 to the French Quarter.

The New Orleans CVB has been chosen by Successful Meetings magazine as one of the country’s best CVBs. The prestigious 2007 Successful Meetings Pinnacle Award is a mark of excellence for meeting destinations and is awarded to those organizations that have done an outstanding job servicing their meetings, incentive travel programs, trade shows and conventions during the previous year.

Two very successful art exhibits closed the first weekend in June, after welcoming large crowds. The New Orleans Museum of Art’s Femme, femme, femme exhibit closed June 3, 2007, with nearly 80,000 visitors and the Old Ursuline Convent’s Vatican Mosaic Studio closed June 1, 2007, with 55,000 visitors from all 50 states and eight countries.

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was April 26-29 and May 4-6. With six days of world-famous music, delicious cuisine and original arts and crafts, Jazz Fest celebrated 38 years of New Orleans culture. Featured performers included Harry Connick Jr., Dr. John, Rebirth Brass Band, Rod Stewart, Ludacris, Norah Jones and John Mayer, to name just a few. According to preliminary reports, this year’s Jazz Fest attendance reached 375,000, the highest since 2003. Shell Oil, who has sponsored Jazz Fest since 2006, announced during the first weekend of the festival that they would continue to provide corporate sponsorship through 2010.

The Risk and Insurance Management Society met in New Orleans April 29-May 3 for its 45^th Annual Conference & Exhibition, with more than 9,000 attendees. Highlights of the conference included a community service day where hundreds of RIMS volunteers spent an afternoon cleaning City Park.

French Quarter Festival, a free celebration of food and music in the city’s signature neighborhood, was April 13-15, 2007. Attendance was up from last year (350,000), to 425,000 and on Sunday, April 15, the Fest set a single-day attendance record with 208,000 people. With 15 stages and nearly 60 food booths, French Quarter Fest was a resounding success.

The American College of Cardiology met in New Orleans March 24-27 for its 56^th Annual Scientific Session and

i2Summit. With 26,250 attendees, the meeting was New Orleans’ largest since 2005. The conference received rave reviews from ACC leadership and members alike.

Express Jet is now flying out of the Louis Armstrong International Airport, with 12 daily nonstop flights.

With a January 2007 contract between the City of New Orleans and SDT LLC Waste and Debris Services, the French Quarter and Central Business District have never been cleaner. SDT LLC and its president, Sidney Torres IV, provides waste removal and street cleaning using brand new, state-of-the-art equipment.

In January, the New Orleans CVB launched an aggressive, strategic marketing, public relations and direct sales campaign, designed to celebrate its authentic culture, lure domestic and international visitors back, preserve the city’s leading industry (hospitality) and overcome misperceptions about New Orleans among consumers. “A Whole New Orleans,” a 30-minute travel television show, showcasing the eclectic nature and vibrant culture of the city, is in production.

“Forever New Orleans” is an international branding campaign that celebrates a spirit of swagger, showcasing the hospitality industry’s confidence in New Orleans as a destination. It uses headlines such as “New Orleans is Open. To Just About Anything.”, “Soul is Waterproof’” and “Old World, New Promise,” which are appearing on billboards and magazines throughout the US.

New Orleans CVB representatives were in New York City April 10-13 to kick off a 10-market media tour and series of events designed to dispel myths about the visitor experience and bring the best of New Orleans culture to major metropolitan cities. A New Orleans streetcar was parked in the middle of Times Square and served as a mobile visitors’ center for curious New Yorkers and tourists alike. The New Orleans CVB’s efforts and the streetcar were featured on “Good Morning America” and in The New York Times.

The following week, the tour continued to Paris, London and Frankfurt, Germany for one-on-one meetings with journalists. The streetcar made another appearance in Chicago May 17, along with a Mardi Gras Indians performance. The New Orleans CVB received coverage on two Chicago television stations and the Chicago Tribune. Along with leisure visitors, the tour promotes the destination for conventions and meetings to meeting professionals, associations and corporate decision makers. Future stops include Washington D.C., Atlanta and Los Angeles.

The Allstate Sugar Bowl match-up between LSU and Notre Dame and other festival events brought an economic impact of $126.7 million to New Orleans and the state, according to a study completed by Dr. Timothy Ryan of the University of New Orleans. The January 3, 2007 football game saw LSU beat Notre Dame 41-14 before a sold-out crowd of 77,781. Comprising the Bowl's overall economic impact figure was a sum of $68.71 million in direct visitor spending and an additional $57.99 million in secondary spending. State and local governments also realized $9.9 million in tax revenue as a result of Bowl activities.

Eight college teams competing in the American Marketing Association’s annual case competition were in New Orleans in late March for the final round of competition to develop a mock marketing plan for New Orleans. The students were given a pretend $5 million budget to remarket New Orleans as the top destination in the world. The winning team, selected by New Orleans CVB executives who served as judges, was from the University of Pennsylvania. The University of Nevada at Las Vegas placed second and the British Columbia Institute of Technology came in third. The American Marketing Association, rather than schedule their 2007 meeting in another city, raised funds to keep the conference and competition in New Orleans, as a show of support for the city.

Mardi Gras 2007 was a resounding success in February, with an estimated crowd of 800,000 and area hotels reporting a 95 percent occupancy rate throughout the last weekend of Mardi Gras. It was larger than the 2006 crowds of 700,000, but not as large as pre-Katrina numbers of 1 million. This year’s success insures the future of tourism in New Orleans and further illustrates the city’s ability to successfully and safely host large numbers of visitors.

New Orleans has received multiple honors. The Los Angeles Times (Feb. 4, 2007) named New Orleans one of the world’s “don’t miss destinations.” In December 2006, Orbitz described New Orleans as an “in” location for experience seeking vacationers. Travel + Leisure Magazine’s January 2007 issue included New Orleans in its “Where to Go Next” feature and Travelocity recently named New Orleans one of 2007’s top 10 favorite gourmet destinations in the world.

January 20-23, 2007, Meeting Professionals International brought 2,600 of the world's most influential meeting professionals to New Orleans for the second largest MPI Professional Education Conference-North America ever. It was a prime opportunity to showcase the city as a destination for future meetings being planned by MPI members. For testimonials, visit www.neworleansmeeting.com.

Corporate America is discovering New Orleans as a meeting destination, bringing new, shorter-term meetings business to the city. Many corporations are drawn to New Orleans for the wealth of “voluntourism” opportunities available during meetings to expand strategic philanthropic and branding efforts. Recent corporate meetings held in the city include Whirlpool Corporation, Coca-Cola, Konica Minolta, Sherwin Williams and IBM.

Future meetings (3,000 or more in attendance) in 2007 include:

Event/Date/Projected Attendance
Disabled American Veterans/Aug. 8-14/4,000
Helen Brett Enterprises/Aug. 16-23/15,000
Cardiovascular Institute of the South/Sept. 5-7/3,000
American College of Surgeons/Oct. 6-10/16,000
International Association of Chiefs of Police/Oct. 12-17 /10,000
International Facility Management Association/Oct. 23-26/10,000
Helen Brett Enterprises/Oct. 25-Nov. 1/15,000
Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International/Oct. 30-Nov. 2/3,000
American Society of Agronomy/Nov. 4-8/4,800
American Academy of Ophthalmology/Nov. 9-12/25,000
National League of Cities/Nov. 13-17 /8,000
Diversified Business Communications/Nov. 27-30/11,000
Southern Association of Colleges & Schools/Dec. 8-10/ 3,000
Pennwell Corporation/Dec. 10-14/17,000

New Orleans will host major sports events in 2007 and beyond. The first and second rounds of the 69^th Annual NCAA Division I Mens Basketball Championship Tournament was played at the New Orleans Arena March 15-17, 2007; the Zurich Classic, a stop on the illustrious Professional Golfers Association tour, was held at TPC Louisiana April 16-22, 2007. ArenaBowl XXI was played at the New Orleans Arena July 29, 2007. In 2008, the Superdome will host the Allstate Sugar Bowl and the Allstate BCS National Championship Game in January and the New Orleans Arena will be the site of the 57^th NBA All-Star Game February 17, 2008.

The movie business has returned to New Orleans since 2006, with the city regaining its Hollywood South moniker. Over 30 movies released in 2006 were filmed in New Orleans and the surrounding areas, including: All the King’s Men, Bug, Failure to Launch, Glory Road, Last Holiday and Déjà Vu—the first movie to be filmed in New Orleans post-Katrina. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, completed filming in the city in late winter 2007. With a budget of $150 million, it was the most expensive film to ever shoot in New Orleans. There are currently over 20 movies that are filming or will be filming in New Orleans with a planned 2007 release. According to Chris Stelly, executive director of film and TV for the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, an estimated $550 million was spent in the state in 2006, down from $750 million in 2005 but up from $430 million in 2004. Because of tax incentives, Louisiana ranks third after New York and California as a location for filming.

Venue Updates

Under the management of SMG, the Louisiana Superdome reopened on Monday, September 25, 2006, with Monday Night Football, when the New Orleans Saints defeated the Atlanta Falcons before the largest audience in ESPN history. The game won the biggest share of the television audience among all TV networks, broadcast or cable, and featured pre-game concerts by the Goo Goo Dolls, U2 and Green Day, a coin toss by former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and an estimated $20 million pumped into the city’s economy. The New Orleans Saints finished the 2006 season with a record of 11-7, reaching the NFC Championship Game against the Chicago Bears and one game away from a Super Bowl XLI appearance. Saints fans anticipate another great showing this fall, following news that the 2007 season is sold-out.

The neighboring New Orleans Arena, home to the AFL’s New Orleans VooDoo and the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets reopened in March 2006. Since that time the Arena has hosted hundreds of events, including sporting events, concerts, performances and even the circus. SMG currently has 150 full-time employees, with a part-time work force of approximately 2,500, including detail police officers.

With $60 million in renovations completed, the Morial Convention Center is sporting a brand new look and level of comfort. Renovations include new flooring and furnishings on all three levels, hotel-like finishes, and a brighter, more engaging environment. The same great service and amenities that made the Center an industry leader are better than ever: high speed wi-fi, 4,000-seat Conference Auditorium, 12 separate/combinable exhibit halls, 140 meeting rooms and a team of seasoned industry professionals. The Center will do brisk business in 2007---hosting 94 major conventions, tradeshows and meetings. The Center currently has 250 full-time employees.

Hospitality and Tourism

Hotels: New hotel developments abound in New Orleans, including the grand opening of the Hilton St. Charles Hotel in June 2007. The Hyatt Hotel will reopen in 2009, after an extensive renovation. Overall 209 metropolitan area accommodations are open, with 31,000 of 38,000 hotel rooms available. The vast majority of hotel properties have completed renovations and upgrades since 2005.

The newly-constructed Harrah’s Hotel opened in September 2006, and the Ritz-Carlton and Chateau Sonesta reopened in December 2006 after extensive renovations. The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans’ Iberville Suites reopened in early March, after an extensive renovation. The Iberville Suites added 230 rooms to New Orleans’ hotel inventory.

Major hotel brands such as Hilton, Marriott and Starwood, are making investments in New Orleans with renovations and upgrades to local properties. The Hilton New Orleans Riverside has received over $66 million for a series of ongoing improvements designed to complement the city’s renaissance and revitalize the 30-year-old Southeastern flagship of Hilton Hotels Corporation. The renovations will continue through the end of 2008. The Marriott New Orleans Hotel is undergoing an $8 million renovation that will be complete in October 2007. Other hotels that are being refurbished include the Baronne Plaza and the Prince Conti Hotel. The Ponchartrain Hotel is in the midst of extensive work that has closed the historic property to guests for six to eight months while the guest suites and bar are overhauled.

Dining: There are 836 restaurants open in the metropolitan New Orleans area, including restaurants in the French Quarter, downtown, Warehouse Arts District, Garden District and Uptown New Orleans popular with visitors to the city. As well, 18 major new restaurants opened in the metro area and are enjoying success, such as Riche, by Todd English, Iris, La Boca, Table One and Cochon, to name a few. (This figure does not include fast-food restaurants, most national chains, bars serving food and coffeehouses.) In 2006, restaurants generated $4.8 billion in direct sales.

Drago’s Seafood Restaurant opened a second location in the Hilton New Orleans Riverside in May 2007. This popular restaurant was made famous by the charbroiled oysters served at its original location in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie.

In April 2007, James Beard Award-winning chef John Besh reopened La Provence in Lacombe, Louisiana, about an hour’s drive from New Orleans. Besh worked with the late former owner, French-born Chef Chris Kerageorgiou, before operating his own restaurants. Another Besh restaurant, Lüke, a French and German brasserie, opened in May 2007, adjacent to the Hilton St. Charles Hotel.

Mr. B's Bistro reopened on April 16, 2007 and the following week, the ever-popular Camellia Grill reopened its doors in the Riverbend neighborhood.

Air Transportation: Louis Armstrong International Airport, as of August 2007, reports 123 flights serving 37 cities (75 percent the number of daily departures and 88 percent the number of destinations; 14,276 seats or 68 percent of our Pre-Katrina level of seats per day). The New Orleans CVB is working with the airlines and airport officials with regard to convention scheduling to ensure adequate lift to meet demand. By November 2007, flights will increase to 133 and seats will increase to 15,489. Air lift is scheduled to be 90 percent of pre-Katrina levels by the end of 2008 and 100 percent by 2009.

Airlines operating out of the Louis Armstrong International Airport include: Air Tran, American Airlines, Continental, Delta Air Lines, ExpressJet, Jet Blue, Northwest, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, U.S. Airways. Delta Air Lines recently added non-stop flights to Los Angeles to the delight of tourists and business travelers alike.

Express Jet began flying April 30, 2007 and offers non-stop service to Austin, San Antonio, Kansas City, Mo., Birmingham, Jacksonville, Fl., and Raleigh-Durham with 12 flights per day.

Changes as of June 2007 include:

• ExpressJet: one additional daily nonstop flight to Austin with 50 seats
• Express Jet: one additional daily nonstop flight to San Antonio with 50 seats
• Southwest: one additional daily nonstop flight to Dallas with 137 seats
• United: one additional daily nonstop flight to Washington Dulles with 70 seats
• United: one additional daily nonstop flight to Denver with 156 seats.

Changes as of July 2007 include:

• USAirways: one additional daily nonstop flight to Philadelphia with 134 seats
• AirTran Airways: one additional weekend only nonstop flight to Atlanta with 117 seats.

On June 27, 2007, Southwest Airlines announced the addition of eight daily nonstop roundtrip flights from New Orleans to five cities:

• Three new daily nonstop flights to Birmingham
• Two additional daily nonstop flights to Houston Hobby (for a total of 11 daily)
• One additional daily nonstop flight to Dallas Love Field (for a total of 6 daily)
• One additional daily nonstop flight to Las Vegas (for a total of 2 daily)
• One additional daily nonstop flight to Orlando (for a total of 4 daily).

The service begins November 4, 2007 with 1,000 added daily seats and represents a 30 percent capacity increase for Southwest Airlines in New Orleans.

In May 2007, the New Orleans Aviation Board voted to name Interim Director of Aviation Sean C. Hunter permanent in the position as Director of Aviation effective immediately. Hunter has been serving as Interim Director since May 2006, upon the departure of former Director of Aviation Roy Williams.

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport has been busy making several enhancements to its facility. To improve customer service, the airport has been making external terminal improvements that improve the paving, lighting, and replacement of terminal roadway signage. There will also be increased walkways areas near the curbside check-in locations. Inside the terminals, the public areas, including ticket lobbies, baggage claim and terminal concourses are also being refurbished, in addition to lighting and door and window units. Construction is scheduled to be complete next year. Late last year, the airport launched an unprecedented maintenance campaign to clean and improve the environment at the region's premier international airport for guests arriving and departing the New Orleans region. Dubbed “Music to Your Eyes”, the campaign is designed to transform the environment of the Airport into an even fresher and more visitor-friendly facility.

Cruise Industry: The Norwegian Cruise Lines, Carnival Cruise Lines, RiverBarge Excursion Lines and Majestic America (American Queen) are sailing from New Orleans.

Major Attractions: All the major attractions in the city, including the Harrah’s Casino, the Audubon Zoo, Aquarium and IMAX theater, Mardi Gras World, Café Du Monde, paddlewheel cruises on the Mississippi River, carriage rides through the French Quarter and CBD, ferry rides across the Mississippi River, the Steamboat Natchez and the Creole Queen, plantation, swamp and specialty tours, nightclubs and music venues are open.

Cultural Institutions: All major museums are open including the New Orleans Museum of Art and Besthoff Sculpture Garden, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the National World War II Museum, the Contemporary Arts Center and the Louisiana Children’s Museum. The New Orleans Ballet, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and community theatres throughout the metropolitan New Orleans area are open.

Urban shopping destinations: The Shops at Canal Place, The Riverwalk and Jax Brewery are open, offering visitors a full complement of national stores, specialty shops and boutiques. Saks Fifth Avenue, the anchor store in The Shops at Canal Place, is open and boutiques, art galleries and antique stores are open throughout the city. Tax-free shopping is available for international visitors in Orleans and neighboring Jefferson Parish.

2006 Conventions: Last year saw a strong return of meetings and conventions to New Orleans. In June 2006, New Orleans celebrated the return of city-wide meetings to the city, with the American Library Association’s convention bringing 17,000 attendees. The National Association of Realtors’ annual meeting in November 2006 brought to New Orleans approximately 24,000 visitors. Registration for that meeting marked a 17 percent increase in attendance since their last gathering in New Orleans in 2002, with a record number of exhibitors participating.

A full convention calendar for October 2006 and November 2006 included the American Society of Exploration Geophysicists, American Society of Human Genetics, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology and Avaya, a Fortune 500 company.

In addition to the large association meetings previously planned, advisory boards of major association and hotel corporations chose to host their meetings in New Orleans last year, reconfirming the allure of New Orleans as a top destination.

About the City

Neighborhoods: In April 2007, Mayor Ray Nagin unveiled his first detailed blueprint for New Orleans’ recovery, announcing that the city’s rebuilding process will commence in 17 redevelopment zones where he plans to unleash $1.1 billion in public money as a way to attract private investment. While the majority of the territory targeted for redevelopment is located west of the Industrial Canal, Nagin’s plan calls for pumping $145 million over five years into two of the hardest-hit areas: the Lower 9th Ward and a swath of eastern New Orleans surrounding the former Lake Forest Plaza shopping center, which has been torn down.

The core of the New Orleans hospitality and tourism destinations are open and thriving, including the Faubourg Marigny, French Quarter, Warehouse Arts District, Garden District/Uptown, Audubon and University section, Carrollton and Riverbend, and historic Algiers on the city’s westbank, including hotels, restaurants and retail.

As well, neighboring Jefferson Parish to the west (home to Louis Armstrong International Airport and including Metairie, River Ridge, Harahan and Kenner) and the city’s “Northshore,” (a true bedroom community for downtown commuters, including the towns of Slidell, Mandeville, Madisonville, Covington, Abita Springs and Folsom located on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain) are bustling. These areas also include lodging, great dining opportunities, and major shopping destinations.

Population: According to mail delivery statistics from the U.S. Postal Service released in July 2007, New Orleans’ population has reached approximately 300,000, nearly two-thirds of the city’s pre-Katrina population. Over 1.1 million reside in the metropolitan New Orleans area. Pre-Katrina, the New Orleans population was approximately 455,000, with a metropolitan population of 1.4 million.

Emergency Preparedness: Unveiled on Friday, March 30, 2007, under the new “City Assisted Evacuation Plan,” volunteers -- both residents and city workers -- will begin picking up elderly residents and those who lack transportation about 54 hours, or 2½ days, before tropical-storm-force winds are expected to reach the Louisiana coast. Volunteers would also be responsible for keeping track of where evacuees are sent and helping with pets. Depending on the storm’s severity, the plan calls for Mayor Nagin to order a mandatory evacuation 30 hours before hurricane winds begin.

Introduced on June 1, 2007, Mayor Nagin introduced a new service to alert citizens about threatening weather events in New Orleans. Called “NOLA Ready,” New Orleanians with cell phones or similar devices can now sign up to receive text messages alerting them to news about hurricanes or other disasters threatening the city. NOLA Ready will be provided by a Virginia company called Roam Secure Inc., which handles similar duties for Washington, D.C., and several neighboring communities. San Francisco and Philadelphia are also clients. New Orleanians who sign up will receive short messages when necessary, warning of, for instance, a tornado watch, or the status of a storm in the Gulf of Mexico. The service is free to those who sign up. To register for the system, residents can visit the Web site www.nolaready.info. The system is also designed to be available on a short-term basis for tourists, who can sign up for it by dialing nola4u.

The Bureau, the City of New Orleans, and the state and city offices of emergency preparedness continue to monitor, evaluate and outline specific emergency strategies for immediate implementation to ensure the security of every visitor and local resident alike. The New Orleans Tourism Crisis Management Plan, along with diligent and thorough preparation with an emphasis on safety, will assist visitors and community members in responding appropriately to emergencies.

The City of New Orleans and State of Louisiana have for the first time implemented a unified emergency communications plan to ensure the timely flow of information across the region in emergency situations. A comprehensive and effective citywide emergency communications plan for the Greater New Orleans tourism industry has been developed.

With the 2007 Hurricane Season underway, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants to assure citizens it is prepared. Hurricane protection system improvements are proceeding at an unprecedented pace and the Corps is also participating in hurricane preparedness plans with other government and civic organizations. The Joint Communication Advisory Council (JCAC) consists of communication professionals representing agencies, civic organizations and government entities involved in storm preparedness and protection, with the purpose of providing the public with coordinated, interagency information on public safety during the 2007 hurricane season.

As of June 1, 2007, the Corps met a self-imposed deadline to have all of its 40 temporary hydraulic pumps in place at the three outfall canals. All have been successfully tested and will be ready for service this hurricane season if needed. Eighteen pumps are in place at the 17^th Street Canal, giving that structure a pumping capacity of 4,000 cubic feet per second (cfs); London Avenue Canal has 12 pumps with 2,800 cfs; and Orleans Avenue has 10 pumps for 2,200 cfs. By mid-August, the Corps is planning to add 11 new direct drive pumps at 17^th Street Canal for an increase in pumping capacity at that canal to 7,600 cfs. Eight new direct drive pumps will be added at London Avenue Canal by mid-August for an increase at that structure to 5,000 cfs. And testing of pumps will continue throughout the hurricane season.

Health and Safety: Wrapping up the agency's 11-month effort to pinpoint chemical contamination of soil and water following Hurricane Katrina, Environmental Protection Agency officials gave New Orleans and surrounding communities a final clean bill of health in a report issued August 18, 2006. (source: Times-Picayune, August 18, 2006) In the end, federal and state officials said the contamination they found was typical of many cities.

Food/seafood: Various federal, state and local agencies have conducted tests on the quality and safety of water and food, including the area’s seafood, and all have been pronounced safe to consume.

Air Quality: Official rating scales rate the air quality in the “good” zone. www.airnow.gov.

Security: The areas that tourists and visitors enjoy in New Orleans are as safe as those as in any big American city. The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau and the hospitality community of New Orleans continue to work in partnership with the Mayor, New Orleans Police Department, city officials, citizens, tourism and business leaders to aggressively address the challenge the city faces with regard to crime. The most visible action visitors likely will notice are increased patrols from the New Orleans Police Department and Quality of Life officers, enhancing the already safe record of popular tourist areas.

The New Orleans Police Department is known nationally for its record in making New Orleans a safe place to visit, ranging from large-scale crowd control events such as Mardi Gras, to four or five individuals enjoying a weekend getaway.

New Orleans Police Department: The ratio of police to citizens is higher today.

Post-Katrina: 1,406 officers
Ratio of officers to residents: 1:213 (pop. of approx. 300,000)

Pre-Katrina: 1,680 officers
Ratio of officers to residents: 1:270 (pop. of 455,000)

Additionally, there are 300 National Guard members patrolling outlying neighborhoods and 60 Louisiana State Troopers stationed in the French Quarter and Warehouse and Central Business districts. In March 2007, the New Orleans Police Department graduated 37 new officers—the NOPD’s first recruit class since Hurricane Katrina.

The current academy class began in August 2007 with 70 recruits.

Hospitals: Twelve hospitals are currently open in the metropolitan New Orleans area, including Tulane Hospital and Clinic, Touro Infirmary and Children’s Hospital in Orleans Parish, East Jefferson Medical Center and Clinic, Tulane-Lakeside Hospital, Ochsner Clinic Foundation and Hospital, Kenner Regional Medical Center and Omega Hospital in East Jefferson Parish, and West Jefferson Medical Center on the westbank of the Mississippi River. Memorial Baptist Hospital has opened a small portion of its uptown campus, with more improvements being made. University Hospital, located in downtown New Orleans, has recently opened a trauma center and it is being operated by Louisiana State University. It is the first trauma center to open in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. For the past year and a half, LSU was operating a trauma unit in a New Orleans suburb. The new trauma center will have 26 surgery beds and 10 intensive care beds.

New Orleans Lakefront Airport is open 24 hours a day. Full service fuel, line service, flight training and aircraft rescue crews are available. As of July 30, 2007, the control tower at the Lakefront Airport is back in service, following a $6 million renovation.

Taxis: Taxis are available on New Orleans streets and at major hotels, with the taxicab bureau reporting approximately 1,200 of their cabs back on the streets. Taxi rates are $2.50 plus $1.60 per mile (.20 per one-eighth mile) thereafter. There is also an additional charge of $1.00 per passenger after the first passenger. During peak visitor times (including Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest) taxi rates are $4 per person or the meter rate, whichever is higher. A fixed rate of $28 (one to two people) is charged from the airport to most areas of New Orleans. For parties of more than two, the fare is $12 per person.

Regional Transit Authority: RTA services are $1.25, including bus transportation and the streetcar. The New Orleans Streetcar line is partially back in service, including the leg traveling on Canal Street from the Mississippi River to Mid-City, and from Canal Street north on Carrolton Avenue to City Park at Wisner Boulevard. The Riverfront line is also running. While a small leg from Canal Street to Lee Circle in the city’s Central Business District has reopened, the time line for the full return of the historic St. Charles Avenue line is spring 2008. An extension to the service to St. Charles and Napoleon is expected to be operating by fall 2007. The electrical substations were originally constructed in the 1940s and were in need of upgrading.

Airport Shuttle, Inc., is the official ground transportation for Louis Armstrong International Airport, with service to and from New Orleans’ hotels and other designated locations. Fare is $13.00 each way. No reservations are required.

Twenty-nine bus lines are running, providing 25,000 rides daily. Bus service allows transportation throughout the city’s major corridor, extending from the Faubourg Marigny to Riverbend.

Amtrak is operating in New Orleans. The City of New Orleans is running again to Memphis and Chicago, while the Crescent has resumed its regular route to Atlanta and New York.

Port of New Orleans: The Port is open to cargo traffic. Operating today at 100 percent of its total capacity, all of the ports’ stevedores and terminal operators are open during normal business hours.

In April 2007, the Navy commissioned the USS New Orleans before thousands of onlookers, marking the first time since at least World War II a Navy ship has been built and christened in its namesake city. The $1.3 billion USS New Orleans is the fourth ship to bear the New Orleans name. The last one was an amphibious assault vessel that served during the Vietnam War and in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm. It was decommissioned in 1997 and is slated to be sunk for gunnery practice.

Education: The Greater New Orleans area has approximately 200 parochial schools, including Catholic and private schools (pre-K through 12^th grade). There are 56 Orleans Parish charter and traditional public schools open. The Louisiana Recovery Schools District provides education for 28,000 students.

Local colleges and universities are open, including Tulane University, Loyola University, the University of New Orleans, Our Lady of Holy Cross College, Xavier University, Dillard University, Southern University of New Orleans, Delgado Community College, Nunez Community College and Louisiana Technical College.

Current and Future Economic Opportunities and Projects:

The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance will relocate from Los Angeles’ University of Southern California to Loyola University in New Orleans. The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance is one of the jazz world’s foremost institutions—an organization dedicated to developing first-rate musicians who are teachers as well as performers. This move is an effort to keep jazz alive and thriving in the city where it was born. The program will begin in late August 2007, to coincide with Loyola’s fall semester.

A Georgia development company is working to assemble a vast swath of Mid-City, including the Lindy Boggs Medical Center, to create a nearly contiguous 20-acre site for 1.2 million square feet of retail space for national chains. The site being assembled by Victory Real Estate Investments LLC is huge, covering more than half a square mile from Jefferson Davis Parkway to Carrollton Avenue and from Toulouse to Bienville streets.

The World Trade Center will be redeveloped into 250 residences and a 130-room Renaissance Club Sport Hotel by Marriott. The $160 million project will also involve development of an international cultural museum and the conversion of Spanish Plaza into a public entertainment area. The right to redevelop the building belongs to Full Spectrum NY LLC. Full Spectrum specializes in “green building,” or buildings that are energy efficient and made from sustainable materials.

Proposed Riverfront Development: The cooperative endeavor agreement between the city and the Port of New Orleans symbolizes the return of a four-mile stretch of Mississippi riverfront to citizens. It includes visions of riverside green space and the construction of RiverSphere — a museum and river research center — and a riverfront performing arts venue.

The board of the New Orleans Building Corp., including Mayor Ray Nagin and two City Council members, on December 21, 2006 ratified a selection committee’s recommendation that a contract be awarded to the team led by Chan Krieger Sieniewicz, a Cambridge, Mass., planning and urban design firm; Hargreaves Associates, a San Francisco and Cambridge landscape architecture firm; TEN Arquitectos, a New York and Mexico City architecture firm; and Eskew + Dumez + Ripple, a New Orleans architecture and urban design firm.

Unveiled in July 2007, the project would reconnect the city with the Mississippi River, creating a 4.5-mile stretch of bikeways, jogging trails, cruise ship terminals and hotels on city-owned riverfront property two blocks from the French Quarter, valued at $1 billion. The plan also includes:

• A $250 million private project to turn the World Trade Center into a hotel and entertainment venue.
• A $250 million private deployment of a 900-room Peabody Hotel and cruise ship terminal.
• $135 million in publicly-financed bike paths, greenways and promenades.

Groundbreaking is scheduled for next year with a targeted completion date of 2018, in time for the city’s 300^th birthday.

Lake Forest Plaza Redevelopment: Lake Forest Plaza, an eastern New Orleans shopping mall that has been empty since Hurricane Katrina, will be demolished to make way for a new Lowe's Home Improvement store plus another million square feet of adjoining retail space. The $147 million redevelopment plans call for Lowe's to anchor an open-air, pedestrian-friendly shopping area including a 225,000-square-foot discount retailer and a 100,000-square-foot department store. The Lowe’s store will be finished by the end of 2007 and will employ 175 permanent employees.

Trump Tower Condominium Development: Set to be completed in 2009, once constructed, the Trump Tower will become the tallest building in the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana, at sixty-seven stories. At a height of over 750 feet, it will also be the tallest building along the Gulf Coast outside of Houston. It will be a multi-use building with the ground floors allocated for retail shopping, the lower floors will be luxury condo-hotels and the upper floors will be luxury condominiums. The development will have an economic impact of $100 million.

About New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau (NOMCVB) (www.neworleanscvb.com) is the driving force behind New Orleans' most important industry, tourism. Today the cultural riches, sensual indulgences and unparalleled service that define the New Orleans experience continue to flourish, as they have for centuries. The most celebrated and historic core of the city - including the French Quarter, Central Business District, Warehouse and Arts District, Magazine Street and Garden District - not only remains intact, both physically and spiritually, but is thriving. The New Orleans CVB is proudly welcoming visitors and business travelers every day.

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