New Orleans: Where Business Meets Culture

Renowned for its vibrant music scene, world-class cuisine and rich cultural history, New Orleans enjoys iconic status as a premier leisure destination. But the city best known as a place for fun and revelry has another side—all the right ingredients to support companies looking to host a memorable business meeting or convention.

A walkable downtown, wealth of flexible event spaces, robust hospitality industry and proximity to higher education institutions are among the many features that have long made New Orleans an ideal venue for gatherings. In recent years, the city has been making significant investments in infrastructure and sustainability aimed at building on those capabilities, explains Walt J. Leger III, president & CEO of New Orleans & Company, the official destination marketing and sales organization for the tourism industry of New Orleans.

“Projects range from renovating existing facilities, like the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the Caesars Superdome, to constructing new developments, such as a 36-acre riverfront neighborhood and the 1,500-acre BioDistrict, a hub for biotech and healthcare industries,” he says. “Other historic restorations include the renovation of our former World Trade Center into the Four Seasons New Orleans Hotel and the transformation of an old convent into the Hotel St. Vincent. These are just a few of the dozen or more restoration and expansion initiatives that are adding to the allure of our community as a business event destination.”

Sustainability at the Forefront

 The $557 million capital improvement plan under way at the 1.1 million-square-foot New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center serves as a beacon of progress and possibility in a city known for its devotion to history and preservation. The ambitious undertaking entails long-overdue upgrades to the largest contiguous exhibit hall in the country, conveniently located between the French Quarter and the city’s business district. With sustainability as an early and ongoing key focus, the renovation incorporated installing energy-efficient features throughout—no small feat for a space where soaring 59-foot ceilings cover nine formal exhibit halls, 140 meeting rooms and a theater that can seat 4,000 people, says Michael J. Sawaya, who began overseeing the project shortly after joining the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center as president and CEO in 2018.

“We didn’t have the newest building, but we knew we could control our behaviors and investments to operate at a standard that is the envy of our industry,” he says. “We went from not even recycling to renovating 37 sets of restrooms, putting in bottle filling stations throughout and changing out all the lighting in the exhibit halls to gain the U.S. Green Building Council’s designation as the largest LEED-certified project in Louisiana and the largest convention center project in the U.S. certified under LEED v 4.1.

Input from a national advisory council made of meeting planners from around the country informed further renovations, including replacing 1.9 million square feet of roof, renovating 140 meeting rooms, building a transportation center and creating a 7.5 acre, lush linear park along the front of the building. “In addition to changing the face of the center and introducing outdoor event areas, the park was designed to incorporate drainage that functions as an innovative stormwater management system,” says Sawaya.

Driving Development

Adjacent to the convention center, installation of infrastructure to support a 39-acre riverfront development has also begun. The River District will encompass an anchor hotel, shops, restaurants and a multi-entertainment venue, creating a dynamic environment that seamlessly integrates with the convention center’s event spaces.

In addition, the burgeoning BioDistrict, home to the Bio Innovation Center and a hub for biotechnology and healthcare industries, is positioning New Orleans as a destination for specialized business events in these fields. With state-of-the-art research facilities and partnerships with local universities like Tulane University and Louisiana State University, the BioDistrict provides a venue for conferences and conventions focused on innovation and science.

A $16 billion flood protection and hurricane risk reduction system designed and implemented by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina represents another draw for businesses. In addition to safeguarding the city from the impact of hurricanes and other natural disasters, the system is a success story that companies concerned with building resiliency and investing in sustainability can incorporate into their event programs, says Legers. “It’s compelling because you can draw in experts who were intimately involved in those efforts to serve on panels and as guest speakers.”

Combining rich cultural heritage with a commitment cutting-edge infrastructure and innovation, New Orleans is a city built to host business meetings and conventions. “Our city has a long history as a hub and a gathering place, where people come together from all over to make connections,” says Leger. “Music and food, the joie de vivre the city is known for, play a role in that, but the excellence we bring to hosting events shines through as well.”