Leaders Tour Region’s Largest Renovation Project at New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

   

“Sneak Peek” of upgrades in $557 million Capital Improvement Plan held Thursday

NEW ORLEANS — On Thursday, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC) hosted New Orleans-area business, tourism and hospitality leaders to showcase newly renovated spaces in the facility’s ongoing $557 million Capital Improvements Plan (CIP). The modern designs, technical upgrades and sustainable improvements highlighted at the “Sneak Peek” social event are part of phase one of the CIP.

 

“The changes to the Convention Center are stunning, and there are still more to come,” said Michael J. Sawaya, President and CEO of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. “Some areas are being improved for the first time since the Convention Center opened in 1985, so it is exciting to show our local leaders these familiar spaces in a whole new light. This is an ambitious project designed to elevate all aspects of the Convention Center experience and expand the New Orleans meetings and tourism industry for generations to come.”

 

The NOENMCC is already welcoming visitors from around the world to enjoy the renovated spaces, and work on the remaining CIP improvements will continue without affecting guest services.

The project, which was first approved by the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority in 2018, is building on New Orleans’ Built to Host! reputation. When complete, the CIP will deliver world class, modern and innovative experiences throughout the Convention Center’s 1.1 million square feet of prime exhibit space and nearly 11 city blocks of exterior frontage.

 

Completed CIP improvements include:

• A new $65 million transportation hub and 7.5-acre pedestrian park with outdoor entertainment areas plus centralized access for buses, shuttles, taxis and ride-shares, enhancing convenience and connectivity
• Modernized public spaces and meeting rooms with advanced technology
• Aesthetic redesign, plus technology, sound and audio/visual upgrades
• Installation of four new chillers, two cooling towers, six boilers and a state-of-the-art system-monitoring station
• Neighborhood-themed charging stations
• New low-flow bathroom fixtures, LED lighting, water bottle refill stations – plus the ability to recycle, compost and even host waste-free events

 

Locally, the project also brings positive impacts to the New Orleans environment, business and tourism infrastructure, and economy by increasing energy efficiency, improving stormwater management, adding sustainability upgrades and offerings, and boosting modern competitive qualities so that the NOENMCC can continue to bring more business to New Orleans.

 

Sustainability achievements include:

• 461,650 lbs. of construction materials recycled, as of Sept. 30, 2023
• 84% of all waste diverted from landfills in phase one
• 588,966 kwh/year of energy savings with upgrades

 

The Convention Center is also committed to working with Small and Emerging Business (SEB) vendors. As of July, the NOENMCC has spent more than $7.2 million spent with SEB vendors on CIP improvements, plus over $8.3 million with SEB vendors who are replacing the 40-acre roof.

 

Phase two of the project has already begun, with renovations continuing in 140 meeting rooms, lobbies and pre-function space, including new furniture, paint, carpet and ceilings. New LED lighting and technology replacements are also continuing, along with new mechanical systems, HVAC and installation of a $50 million “cool roof.”

 

About the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC)

New Orleans is Built to Host! With 1.1 million square feet of prime exhibit space on one level, all under one roof, NOENMCC is the sixth largest Convention Center in the United States and provides the largest single exhibit space in the country. Our recent LEED Gold certification makes NOENMCC the largest LEED-certified project in Louisiana and the largest convention center project in the U.S. certified under LEED v4.1 Operations and Maintenance, as well as the first convention center in the world to be awarded initial certification under LEED Gold v4.1 O+MA. A leading contributor to the city’s robust tourism economy, NOENMCC event activity has produced $90.1 billion in economic impact since its 1985 opening.

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