Meeting News - September 21, 2009 - (Page 46)

South Regional By Matt Alderton New Orleans Debuts CC Venue, Lures Events A vacant lot adjacent to the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will be used as an open-air events venue, hosting festivals and outdoor exhibitions, the convention center announced this summer. Originally the location for a planned convention center expansion—put on hold indefinitely following Hurricane Katrina—the vacant lot will be known as Festival Park at the Convention Center and will offer “all the elements that are important to stage successful festivals,” according to convention center officials, including high visibility and easy access, ample and adjacent parking, hotels with a variety of price points, water and power. “New Orleans is known as one of the greatest cities for festivals, and they play an important role in attracting visitors who support our economy,” convention center president and general manager Bob Johnson said. “There are several opportunities throughout the year when a festival can bridge the gap between seasons and major conventions.” Already, three area festivals— Morial Convention Center, home to a new festival park the Louisiana Tailgate & BBQ Festival on Aug. 21-23; the Project 3090 Music Festival on Sept. 5; and Bike Week New Orleans, taking place May 4-9, 2010—have used or announced plans to use Festival Park, which local tourism officials also plan to rent to conventions for use as outdoor function and exhibit space. Meanwhile, two major medical associations, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, have signed agreements to locate future conventions in the city, the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau recently announced. HIMSS, which last met in New Orleans in 2007, has agreed to hold its annual meeting there in March 2013. AAO, meanwhile—which also last met in New Orleans in 2007—has agreed to hold its November meeting there in both 2013 and 2017. “New Orleans graciously hosted and welcomed all of our attendees of the Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition in 2007,” HIMSS executive vice president and COO R. Norris Orms said. “Our plan to return in 2013 reflects our confidence in the city, the excellent convention facilities and its exciting collection of hotels. We look forward to enjoy- ing New Orleans’ genuine hospitality, its great cuisine, and exciting music and entertainment.” New Orleans already has booked several major medical meetings for 2013, including annual conventions for the American Society of Neurological Surgeons, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Dental Association, among others. In addition, it will host the NCAA Women’s Final Four and Super Bowl XLVII that same year. “There are so many factors that determine a group’s decision to meet in a destination, and with our delectable cuisine, unbeatable jazz, hospitable staff, world-class meeting facilities and an awardwinning team of sales, service and marketing professionals at the CVB, New Orleans contains all the elements necessary to ensure a successful meeting,” said New Orleans CVB president and CEO Stephen Perry. “We believe that the recent addition of these prominent medical associations to New Orleans’ growing list of future conventions only solidifies the city’s reputation as a worldclass destination for hospitality, tourism, meetings, conventions and special events.” H 46 MeetingNews September 21, 2009 www.meetingnews.com http://www.atlanta.net/meetingsmadeeasy http://www.meetingnews.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - September 21, 2009

Meeting News - September 21, 2009

Contents
Pricing Forecast
Newsmaker
Meetings Spotlight
Event Profile

Meeting News - September 21, 2009

Meeting News - September 21, 2009 -

Meeting News - September 21, 2009

(Page Cover1)
Meeting News - September 21, 2009 -

Meeting News - September 21, 2009