GENERAL INFORMATION

New Orleans FAQ

 

How did SMA decide to confirm New Orleans for the 2007 Annual Conference & Exhibition?

Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, SMA began a thorough monitoring of the city’s viability to host the conference and the anticipated attendees. We have found New Orleans living up to expectations of meeting planners to remain one of the world’s foremost convention and meeting sites.

The convention center has hosted local and national shows since March 2006 including annual meetings of the: American Library Association (June 24-27, 2006); Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International (July 10-15, 2006); American Psychological Association (Aug. 10-13, 2006); National Association of Realtors (Nov. 8-13, 2006); Meeting Professionals International (January 20-23, 2007); and the Healthcare Information Management Services Society, HIMSS (February 25 – March 1, 2007).

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What about transportation to New Orleans?

Louis Armstrong International Airport, as of February 2007, reports 110 flights serving 32 cities (68 percent the number of daily departures and 77 percent the number of destinations; 13,465 seats or 65 percent of our Pre-Katrina level of seats per day). The NOMCVB is working with the airlines and airport officials with regard to convention scheduling to ensure adequate lift to meet demand.

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

All main routes to/from the airport are open. Tolls have resumed on the Causeway and Crescent City Connection. There are no road blocks or restrictions if you are trying to access the airport. For frequent air service updates, visit www.flymsy.com.

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

In addition to air service, Amtrak has resumed service to and from New Orleans. The city of New Orleans line is running to Memphis and Chicago and the Crescent line has resumed its regular route to Atlanta and New York. For updated information, visit http://tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak.

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Will restaurants be open?

New Orleans is famous for its cuisine, and its fabled restaurants are re-opening daily. According to the Louisiana Restaurant Association, as of July 2006, more than 1,000 restaurants have been recertified by the Department of Health and Human Services. According to the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc., more than 700 restaurants (not including fast food restaurants) are currently open in the Greater New Orleans region. Please visit the Louisiana Restaurant Association's Web site, www.lra.org, and New Orleans Menu at www.nomenu.com for daily updates.

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Is ground transportation available?

The largest taxicab company in New Orleans recently reported that more than 50 percent of their taxis are in service. 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. For more information, go to www.unitedcabs.com or call 504-522-9771. Taxicabs are available on the lower level of the airport. Rental cars are also available.

HIMSS will monitor the availability of transportation as the annual meeting approaches and will provide additional shuttle buses, if needed. This is standard for HIMSS; the Society supplemented shuttle bus transportation in San Diego last year for the convenience of meeting attendees.

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When will the streetcars begin service in New Orleans?

In New Orleans, RTA is currently operating 29 bus routes and two streetcar lines, with more than 25,000 boardings each workday. Regular fares on local bus and streetcar lines are $1.25. For updates, visit www.norta.com or call 504-248-3900.

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Will I see evidence of significant hurricane damage at my hotel?

No, not at all.

All major hotels in New Orleans are open, with the Hyatt Hotel reopening in late 2007. The Fairmont Hotel’s opening date is still to be determined. Overall 208 metropolitan area accommodations are open, with 31,000 of 38,000 hotel rooms available. The vast majority of downtown hotel properties are reopened, many completing renovations and upgrades in the last quarter of 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.

Our hotel - in the "center of it all," the newly renovated Hilton New Orleans Riverside is immediately on the banks of the Mississippi River with easy access to everything New Orleans, Louisiana has to offer.

This full service luxury complex is actually a "city within itself," and has undergone a $40 million renovation which includes a newly-redesigned front desk area to increase efficiency and enhance service.

As of Feb. 9, 2006, the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau reported that all major clean-up in the French Quarter, Central Business District, Arts and Entertainment District, Magazine Street and Saint Charles Avenue areas had been completed.

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Is New Orleans a safe/healthy place to visit?

Yes. Agency officials gave New Orleans and surrounding communities a final clean bill of health in a report issued Aug. 18, 2006. (source: Times-Picayune). Federal and state officials said the contamination they found was typical of many cities.

As of April 3, 2007, official rating scales rate the air quality as ‘good.’ For information about air quality ratings, visit www.airnow.gov.

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Does the city have a plan in place in the event of an emergency that requires evacuation?

In preparation for the 2006 Atlantic Storm Season, Mayor C. Ray Nagin's Office of Emergency Preparedness has developed a strategic plan for the management and evacuation of the citizens of New Orleans. No shelters of last resort will be made available. The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will be a staging point for evacuations. Amtrak trains will also be used for evacuation purposes.

The City of New 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.

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Have the levees been fixed?

The Corps of Engineers repaired and restored 220 miles of floodwalls and levees since September 2005. With a few exceptions, New Orleans now has Pre-Katrina flood and storm level protection. This system is in equal or better condition than it was when Katrina hit, according to NOCVB officials.

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I’m planning to bring my family. Will there be things for them to do while I’m in meetings?

Absolutely. New Orleans is rich in cultural attractions, many of which have already reopened, including the Audubon Zoo and the Louisiana State Museum, as well as other museums. Canal Place has been open since February 2006 and all shops in the French Quarter are open for business. There also are many tours, ranging from walking tours of the French Quarter to excursions to historic sites in the New Orleans area. For a complete list, visit www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/tours/tours.html.

In addition, The New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp. released its first visitors’ guide since Hurricane Katrina. The free guide includes coupons for dining, shopping, attractions and tours. Call 800-203-2144 or access www.neworleansonline.com.

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If I have a medical emergency while in New Orleans, will there be nearby hospitals?

Yes. The following hospitals, convenient to the conference location, have reopened:

  • Touro Infirmary and Children’s Hospital, 1404 Foucher St.
  • Tulane University Hospital and Clinic, 1415 Tulane Ave.
  • University (Charity) Hospital’s emergency suite in Elmwood

Other hospitals in New Orleans currently open 24 hours a day include the following:

  • Alton Ochsner Foundation Hospital, 1514 Jefferson Hwy.
  • Army Combat Support Hospital, Convention Center, Henderson St. Entrance
  • Children’s Hospital, 200 Henry Clay Ave.
  • East Jefferson General Hospital, 4200 Houma Blvd., Metairie - East Jefferson
  • West Jefferson General Hospital, 1101 Medical Center Blvd., Marerro
  • Lakeside Hospitals, 4700 South I-10 Service Rd., Metairie
  • USS Comfort, 600 Poland Ave.

For updates, visit www.cityofno.com

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What about routine medical services?

Clinics in Orleans Parish that are open daily from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., include:

  • Tulane CBD Practice Plan Clinic, Foot of Canal St., Near Harrah’s
  • Covenant House, 611 North Rampart St., Downtown
  • Uptown Square Clinic, at Broadway and St. Charles Ave.

There are also pharmacies available – an updated list will be provided on-site.

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What about security?

The Vieux Carre Police station, located in the heart of the French Quarter, is fully functional. The New Orleans Police Force currently includes 1,421 officers, compared to 1,680 pre-Katrina. The pre-Katrina ratio of police/citizens was 1/289. Today, the ratio is 1/141.

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Will I have an opportunity to assist in New Orleans recovery efforts while attending the 2007 Annual SMA Assembly & Exhibition?

Yes. SMA plans to aid the recovery efforts of New Orleans. Attendees will have the opportunity to assist with the Second Harvest Food Bank and/or Habitat for Humanity.

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What other associations have held or are planning to hold conferences in New Orleans post-Katrina?

The following associations are among those that either re-confirmed or already held conferences in New Orleans, as of Feb. 1, 2007:

  • Healthcare Information & Management Society /Feb. 24 – Mar. 1 (city-wide)/24,000
  • American Association of School Administrators/Feb. 28 – Mar. 4/7,000
  • National Collegiate Athletic Association/Mar. 14 – 17 (city-wide)/20,000
  • American College of Healthcare Executives/Mar. 18 – 22/4,000
  • International Association for Dental Research/Mar. 20 – 25/6,000
  • American College of Cardiology/Mar. 23 – 27 (city-wide)/30,000
  • American Institute of Steel Construction/Apr. 17 – 21/2,000
  • Institute of Scrap Recycling/Apr. 17 – 22/3,300
  • Risk & Insurance Management Society/Apr. 29 – May 4 (city-wide)/30,000
  • American College of Sports Medicine/May 29-June 2/4,000
  • Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc./June 10-13/1,000
  • American Association of Law Libraries/July 14-19/2,800
  • National Council of State Housing Agencies/Sept. 15-18 (city-wide)/10,000
  • American College of Surgeons/Oct. 6-11 (city-wide)/16,000
  • International Association of Chiefs of Police/Oct. 13-17 (city-wide)/10,000
  • American Society for Clinical Pathology/Oct. 17-21/5,000
  • American Society of Agronomy/Nov. 4-8/4,800
  • American Academy of Ophthalmology/Nov. 9-13 (city-wide)/25,000
  • Pennwell Corporation/Dec. 11-14 (city-wide)/17,000

For more detailed information, view the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau’s most recent ‘State of the City’ report at www.neworleanscvb.com.

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