The Mid-South States: Back in Business

It’s no secret that the group, meeting and convention industry in New Orleans, and tourism in general, were heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina last fall. But the city is coming back to life and beginning to make itself available to the group and meeting industry. The Marriott properties, for example, are all back up and running. The number of daily flights in and out of Louis Armstrong Airport is on the rise. And the first three of the convention center’s 12 halls reopened in February.

Despite Baton Rouge’s proximity to New Orleans, the city remained largely unscathed by Katrina. However, the capital city has served as the rescue and restoration center for the devastated areas, creating a high demand for hotel rooms. Hotel room availability is expected to open up this summer.

The flood-damaged Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi, meanwhile, is out of commission until January 1, 2007. Vicki Miller, special events marketing coordinator, says there was one fortunate turn for the Coliseum. “All of our seats in the arena were sent to Arkansas before the storm to be reupholstered. That saved nearly all the seats in the arena.”

The convention center, which was completing plans to nearly double its size pre-Katrina, will resume its expansion plans shortly after reopening.In Huntsville, Ala., hotel additions aren’t the only thing making news.

Huntsville Bicentennial Water Park, situated above Huntsville’s Big Spring and intended to commemorate the city’s founding at that location, opened last summer. And getting to Huntsville keeps getting easier. Nonstop air service to the city is now available from more than a dozen airports across the nation.

Riverwalk Orange Beach on Alabama’s Gulf Coast will open in spring 2007. The development’s first phase includes a marina, retail and restaurant space, Gulf World Marine, and a swim with the dolphins experience. A 680-unit condotel resort with more than 68,000 square feet of meeting space will open in early 2008. Additionally, The Wharf opened with a new 10,000-seat amphitheater. This development will involve a luxury inn and meeting space of up to 20,000 square feet.

The Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau is exploring expansion of the NKY Convention Center. In addition, this summer the convention center is undergoing a $400,000 renovation to its exhibit hall, creating additional large group meeting space and breakout room space.

By Bob Andelman – Courtesy of MeetingsNet (www.meetingsnet.com)