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News • Louisiana • United States • 2011-10-05

What’s New in New Orleans’ Hospitality Industry – October/November 2011

LATEST NEWS

Prospect.2 New Orleans, the second edition of the international contemporary art biennial held in New Orleans, has announced the list of artists for the October 22, 2011-January 29, 2012 event. Prospect.2 will feature local, national and international artists from nine countries and works will be displayed in locations around New Orleans including the Contemporary Arts Center, the Old US Mint and the New Orleans African American Museum.

The Hyatt Regency New Orleans celebrates its grand re-opening on October 19, after a $275 million revitalization. With design that complements the uniqueness of New Orleans, award-winning interior designers Looney & Associates in collaboration with the creative architectural design team at HC Architecture conceived the redesign of the iconic hotel. Changes begin at the hotel’s front door, which has been reconfigured and moved to Loyola Avenue. The hotel offers 1,193 contemporary guest rooms, new dining options, and 200,000 square feet of meeting and special event space, including two new 25,000-square-foot ballrooms. The Hyatt Regency New Orleans will be home to Borgne, a restaurant by Chef John Besh, which will feature casual, coastal Louisiana seafood with a touch of Spanish influence. Executive Chef Eric Damidot will lead the Hyatt’s culinary team.

In December 2011, The Saint Hotel will open its doors following a $45 million purchase and transformation. The Saint, located in the historic Audubon Building on Canal Street, will include 320 square feet of modern guest rooms; Sweet Olive, a restaurant by Chef Michael Stoltzfus; the Burgundy Bar and the Halo Rooftop Bar.

New Orleans hosted 4.8 million visitors in the first half of 2011, an increase of 7.7% over the same period in 2010. These visitors spent a total of $3.1 billion, a boost of more than 10 percent over January – June 2010. These figures are the result of the 2011 University of New Orleans Hospitality Research Center’s 2011 New Orleans Area Visitor Profile, commissioned by the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau and the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation.

Subscribers to Corporate & Incentive Travel and Association Conventions & Facilities magazines once again recognized the New Orleans CVB for superior customer service through the publications’ annual awards, the “Award of Excellence” and the “Distinctive Achievement Award.” Both magazines are published by Coastal Communications Corporation, producer of leading business to business magazines read by thousands of meeting professionals from across the globe.

FestiGals, part festival part meeting, provides a fun and enriching weekend for women to relax, enjoy special events, and explore New Orleans’ rich and diverse cultural heritage October 7-9, 2011. Headquartered at the Hotel Monteleone, the weekend also features the S.H.E Conference – a series of captivating seminars dedicated to Self, Heart, and Empowerment. The conference will also include a Keynote Luncheon, featuring CNN Anchor and Special Correspondent, Soledad O’Brien.

November 2011 is a major month for New Orleans’ cruise industry. Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas will call New Orleans its homeport beginning November 12, 2011, and will offer seven-night cruises to the Western Caribbean, accommodating 3,414 guests. This is the largest cruise ship to call New Orleans its homeport. The Carnival Ecstasy, which is sailing four- and five-night cruises from New Orleans now through October 31, 2011, will be replaced by a newer ship, the Carnival Elation on November 5, 2011. The new ship is also set to sail year-round on four- and five-night cruises from New Orleans. The city will also be the homeport for the Carnival Conquest on November 13, 2011.

On October 4, 2011, Governor Bobby Jindal joined Saints Owner Tom Benson and Ernst Leib, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA to announce a 10-year agreement reached between the NFL Saints and Mercedes-Benz USA to name the recently renovated New Orleans Superdome, the “Mercedes-Benz Superdome.” The facility has completed an $85 million renovation; part of an overall $336 million renovation that has been taking place since 2006. Key significant enhancements include an expansion of the Plaza Level concourse by 50 feet, 135 additional new women’s restrooms, additional concession points of sale on the Plaza Level, 3,100 additional Plaza Level seats, 186 digital concourse monitors and two new premium bunker club lounges.

New Orleans welcomed more than 100 cast and crew members from The Addams Family to prepare for a tour that will play in more than 30 cities across the United States and Canada. The musical comedy was the first Broadway production to launch a major, national tour in New Orleans. The Addams Family showcased its 10-performance run at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre September 15-24, 2011. Broadway Across America continues its season in New Orleans with Rock of Ages (Nov. 1-6), Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific (Nov. 29-Dec. 4), Cirque Dreams Holidaze (Dec. 20-24) Blue Man Group Jan. 31-Feb. 5, 2012) and Disney’s The Lion King (March 14-April 15, 2012).

Gaytravel.com placed New Orleans on its list of top five budget-friendly vacation destinations. In September 2011, New Orleans also received a bronze designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community from the League of American Bicyclists.

In August, New Orleans was selected as the site of ArenaBowl XXV in 2012. This will be the fifth championship hosted by the Crescent City.

The Historic New Orleans Collection is featuring “The 18th Star: Treasures from 200 Years of Louisiana Statehood,” celebrating the 200th year of Louisiana statehood. The exhibit will be on view through January 29, 2012.

The Historic Vieux Carré Commission (VCC), the organization established in 1936 to preserve the city’s famed French Quarter, is celebrating its 75th anniversary in November. Through the work of the VCC, the French Quarter was revitalized and recognized as a National Historic Landmark.

NOLA Motorsports Park is in the final stages of construction with full operations planned for late winter 2011/early spring 2012. The 640-acre facility houses several world-class driving venues: two road courses of more than 2.7 miles each, a 30-acre kart facility and an autocross pad. Located in Avondale, just 20 minutes from the central business district, the park is unique among major motorsports facilities and is designed as a multi-purpose events facility with motorsports activities. Food services will be provided by local chef Scott Boswell, proprietor of award winning restaurants Stella! and Stanley.

In 2012, two paddlewheels, including the American Queen and Queen of the Mississippi are returning to the River. The American Queen will be refurbished for overnight cruises while the Queen of the Mississippi is a new boat.

The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is the home of restaurateur Ralph Brennan’s latest restaurant addition, café NOMA, a newly expanded and renovated space offering a crisp, contemporary dining area to museum-goers and diners.

The Southern Food and Beverage Museum (SoFAB) is relocating to Central City to the space formally the Dryades Street Market, which dates back to the 1800s. SoFAB will move from its current space in the Riverwalk upon completion of the new location in 2013. The new SoFAB location will feature a restaurant and bar.

The “Best of New Orleans 2011” readers’ poll, conducted by Gambit Weekly, announced the Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar as the “Best Hotel Bar.” Nearly 3,300 ballots were cast by local Gambit readers. This marks the fifth year in a row the Carousel Bar has been recognized.

Wine Spectator Magazine awarded Morton’s the Steakhouse with the prestigious “Award of Excellence.” All 77 worldwide locations of Morton’s received this designation, including the New Orleans location, marking the fourth year in a row that the restaurant was honored with this accolade in the magazine’s Restaurant Awards issue.

The Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) has inducted Dickie Brennan of Dickie Brennan & Company into the LRA’s Hall of Fame. Brennan is also known for his philanthropic work and service to the hospitality industry. The LRA also named Mike Voisin, CEO of Motivatit Seafoods in Houma, as its 2011 Advocate of the Year and Greg Reggio of the Taste Buds Restaurant Group as the Active Member and Restaurateur of the Year.

Grammy Award and Billboard Award-winning trumpeter, Irvin Mayfield, in partnership with the JW Marriott, has opened the doors to Irvin Mayfield’s I Club, a sophisticated music venue “where the art is.” The new club opened in July 2011 and features live music Wednesdays-Sundays, along with fine-dining small plates and cocktails.

2011 Festivals

Zulu Lundi Gras Festival/March 7

25th Annual Lundi Gras at Spanish Plaza with Rex/March 7

Mardi Gras Day/March 8

Soul Fest/March 12-13

Spring Fiesta/March 25-April 3

Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival/March 23-27

Louisiana Oyster Jubilee/March 26

New Orleans Classic Auto Festival/March 13-14

New Orleans Roadfood Festival/March 25-27

French Quarter Festival/April 7-10

New Orleans Earth Day Festival & Green Business Expo/April 17

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival Presented by Shell/April 29-May 8

Mid City Bayou Boogaloo/May 20-22

New Orleans Wine and Food Experience/May 24-28

Greek Festival/May 27-29

New Orleans Oyster Festival/June 4-5

New Orleans Vieux-to-Do/June 10-12

ESSENCE Music Festival/July 1-3

San Fermin in Nueva Orleans/July 8-10

Tales of the Cocktail/July 20-24

COOLinary New Orleans/Aug. 1-31

Satchmo SummerFest/Aug. 4-7

Whitney White Linen Night/Aug. 6

Dirty Linen Night/Aug. 13

New Orleans Red Dress Run/Aug. 13

Southern Decadence Festival/Aug. 31-Sept. 5

New Orleans Seafood Festival/Sept. 9-11

New Orleans Burlesque Festival/Sept. 15-17

FestiGals/ Oct. 7-9

Gretna Heritage Festival/Oct. 7-9

Prospect.2 New Orleans/Oct. 22, 2011-Jan. 29, 2012

Art for Arts’ Sake/Oct. 1

New Orleans Film Festival/Oct. 14-20

NOLA Film Festival/Oct. 15-21

Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival/Oct. 14-16

Voodoo Music Experience/Oct. 28-30

Louisiana Swamp Festival/Nov. 5-6

New Orleans Fringe Festival/Nov. 16-20

Words and Music Literary Festival/Nov. 9-13

New Orleans Po-boy Preservation Festival/Nov. 20

Christmas New Orleans Style/December

Festival Attendance

2010

2011

Mardi Gras

1 million +

1 million

French Quarter Festival

512,000

533,000

Jazz and Heritage Festival

375,000

400,000+

New Orleans Wine & Food Experience

10,000

10,000

ESSENCE Music Fest

400,000

400,000+

Tales of the Cocktail

17,000

21,000

Satchmo SummerFest

26,000

26,364

Southern Decadence Festival

125,000-135,000

100,000+

Voodoo Music Experience

125,000-150,000

Poboy Preservation Festival

45,000

Hotels

Renovations have recently been completed or are underway at many hotels, including:

Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Royal Sonesta, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, The New Orleans Marriott, Hotel InterContinental, The Sheraton New Orleans, W French Quarter, Hotel Monteleone, Astor Crowne Plaza, Audubon Cottages, Best Western St. Christopher Hotel, Bourbon Orleans (renamed Hyatt French Quarter in 2012), Brent House Hotel, Chateau Bourbon, Double Tree by Hilton New Orleans Airport, Embassy Suites, Hotel Le Marais, Holiday Inn Downtown-Superdome, Holiday Inn Express, Hilton New Orleans Airport Hotel, Hotel Provincial, Loews, Ramada Metairie, Saint Louis Hotel, The Windsor Court Hotel and more. New hotels on the horizon include The Saint and Hotel Modern.

Recent Awards and Accolades

On July 25, 2011, New Orleans ranked number three on TripAdvisor’s® inaugural TripIndex, a cost comparison of 15 hotspots in the United States, making the city one of the top domestic deal destinations in the country. New Orleans also ranked number six among cities in the United States and Canada according to the results of the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards readers’ survey. New Orleans moves up from its number seven ranking on last year’s list.

In June 2011, AAA South Magazine readers named New Orleans: Best large city for a weekend, Best Guys Getaway, Best Girls’ Getaway, Best Small Hotel—Columns Hotel, Best Museum of Art—New Orleans Museum of Art, Best Restored Hotel—Roosevelt Hotel, Best Fine Dining—Commander’s Palace, Best Arts and Crafts Fest—Jazz and Heritage Festival.

For a complete list of awards, visit www.neworleanscvb.com/press-media.

Sports

The third Annual Jazz Half Marathon & Merrill Lynch 5K took place on October 29 and helped support the Cancer Program of Children’s Hospital of New Orleans.

New Orleans will host the following major sporting events from 2011-2013:

State Farm Bayou Classic – Nov. 26, 2011

R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl – Dec. 17, 2011

Allstate Sugar Bowl – Jan. 3, 2012

BCS Championship Game – Jan. 9, 2012

SEC Basketball Championship – March 8-11, 2012

NCAA Men’s Final Four Basketball Championship – March 31-April 2, 2012

ArenaBowl XXV – Aug. 10, 2012

Super Bowl XLVII – Feb. 3, 2013

NCAA Women’s Final Four – April 7-10, 2013

Museums, Films and Cultural Attractions

On July 29, it was announced that the Louisiana State Museums and The Historic New Orleans Collection received reaccreditation by the American Association of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded to the nation’s museums.

New Orleans is home to famous and historical theaters, including the Mahalia Jackson Theatre, which underwent a $27 million renovation and reopened in January 2009. Other major theatre renovations include:

In July 2011, the NOLA Theatre District, LLC announced that the Joy Theatre on Canal Street will reopen as a live music and entertainment venue following a $5 million renovation.

The lights of the legendary Saenger Theatre marquee shine bright again. The 2,700-seat Canal Street theatre, which originally opened in 1927, will undergo a nearly $40 million restoration and is scheduled for completion in 2012.

The historic Orpheum Theater began renovations in April and is set to reopen in 2012 following a restoration. The theater, which was home to the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is celebrating 100 years in 2011. NOMA, located in City Park, houses more than 30,000 art objects encompassing 4,000 years of world art.

According to the Office of Film and Video, New Orleans boasts the most diverse portfolio of film and television work in the state of Louisiana, catering to the largest of studio features, the smallest of independent projects and also to a wide range of television and commercial productions.

Major movies and productions filming in 2011 include:

G.I. Joe 2

Hide

Common Law

Treme Season 3

For a complete listing and more information, visit www.filmneworleans.org.

Meetings and Conventions

Meetings (3,000 or more in attendance) in 2011 include:

American Mathematical Society and Mathematics Association of America/Jan. 6-9

American Academy of Dermatology/Feb. 4-8

American Physical Therapy Association/Feb. 9-12

ESPN BassMasters Classic/Feb. 18-20

Cisco Partner Summit/Feb. 28-March 3

Louisiana National Guard/March 11-13

Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages/March 16-19

Sungard Higher Education/March 20-23

American Counseling Association/March 23-27

American College of Cardiology/April 2-5

American Educational Research Association/April 8-12

National Intramural Recreational Sports Association/April 13-16

New Orleans Dental Conference/April 14-16

National Catholic Education Association/April 26-28

United Fresh Produce Association/May 2-5

American Institute of Architects/May 12-14

Rotary International/May 21-25

American Society of Microbiology/May 21-24

National Conference on Volunteering & Service/June 6-8

Institute of Food Technologists/June 11-14

National Athletic Trainers Association/June 19-22

American Library Association/June 23-28

American Society of Animal Science Societies/July 10-14

Amateur Athletic Union/July 27-Aug. 6

Disabled American Veterans/Aug. 6-9

Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association/Aug. 29-Sept. 1

National Association for College Admission Counseling/Sept. 22-24

American Public Transportation Association/Oct. 3-5

Specialty Graphic Imaging Association/Oct. 19-21

International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans/Oct. 30-Nov. 2

National Association for Gifted Children/Nov. 3-6

National Communication Association/Nov. 17-20

Diversified Business Communications/International Workboat Show/Nov. 30-Dec. 2

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists/Dec. 4-8

The Great Hall of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center debuts in January 2013. The future site of many a command performance, the Convention Center will now feature a 60,300 square foot divisible Great Hall, 25,400 square foot multi-use pre-function space, and includes hotel-like appointments throughout. The impressive 1.1 million square foot Center is now more attractive than ever to groups large and small. Additional features of note will include a 4,660 square foot junior ballroom, complete with a 3,420 square foot rooftop terrace, a 980 square foot indoor balcony and a 5,700 square foot executive club lounge.

Restaurants

World-renowned chefs John Folse and Rick Tramonto have announced their partnership and the formation of Home on the Range: Folse Tramonto Restaurant Development, LLC, in which their first joint venture will be Restaurant R’evolution. The restaurant is scheduled to open in the Royal Sonesta Hotel in 2012 and will offer contemporary Creole cuisine.

Airport

In total, $300 million worth of modernization projects are underway at New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport. Last March, the airport began a $16.9 million terminal improvement project that doubles the size of Concourse D, creates six new gates and 8,000 square feet of space for concessions. The project, which is expected to be completed this Fall, created 1,000 construction jobs for the regional economy and will provide an enhanced airport experience for passengers.

The new consolidated rental car facility will greatly increase capacity to accommodate current needs and anticipated growth over the next 15 years, increasing capacity from 800 cars to approximately 1,800 cars in a three-story structure which will include rental car company counters and offices. Additional airport upgrades include free WiFi, refurbished restrooms, a new aircraft rescue and fire fighting station and plans for a storm-proof power and water facility.

Additional flights in 2011 include:

Southwest Airlines (Third direct flight to Nashville) began October 3, 2011

Southwest Airlines (Additional direct flight to Baltimore-Washington International) begins February 2012

Southwest Airlines (Additional direct flight to Chicago-Midway) beginning February 2012

Southwest Airlines (Additional departure to Las Vegas) beginning February 2012

TOURISM INDUSTRY STATISTICS AT A GLANCE

January-June 2011: 4.8 million visitors/$3.1 billion

2010: 8.3 million visitors/$5.3 billion (highest visitor spending in city’s history)

2009: 7.5 million visitors/$4.2 billion visitor spending

2008: 7.6 million/$5.1 billion

2007: 7.1 million/$4.8 billion

2006: 3.7 million/$2.8 billion

2005: July-December stats not available

2005: January-June: 5.3 million/$2.6 billion

2004: 10.1 million/$4.9 billion

2003: 8.5 million/$4.5 billion

Taxes: $250-300 million in tax revenues … more than any other business sector

Economic impact of tourism: $5 billion

Employment: Nearly 70,000

Hotels: 263 and 35,800 hotel rooms

Restaurants: 1,222 (www.nomenu.com)

Airport: As of August 2011; 14,721 daily seats and 124 daily operations serving 37 destinations

About the New Orleans CVB

The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is a nationally accredited, 1,000-member destination marketing organization and the largest and most successful private economic development corporation in Louisiana. We create $5 billion in new capital each year-more than any other business sector-by attracting millions of visitors, special events and conventions. The CVB and its members persuade thousands of decision-makers and millions of visitors to choose New Orleans through direct sales, marketing, public relations, branding and visitor services at our New Orleans headquarters and offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago and four countries. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2010. For more information, please visit www.neworleanscvb.com.

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