Building a Stronger Louisiana Travel Economy
Omni Headquarters Hotel
The Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority’s (Authority) mission for the Convention Center is to finance, construct and operate facilities to attract and conduct conventions, trade shows and other events that support and expand the economy of both the state, region and city.
Developing a headquarters hotel next door to the Convention Center is key to the long-term success of the tourism and hospitality industries in Louisiana.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What is a headquarters hotel?
A headquarters hotel is in close proximity to a convention center, offers easy access for attendees, with large, dedicated room blocks for meeting planners, and options to host a wide range of add-on events – everything from large banquets to intimate breakout sessions. In our case, the location is right across from Hall C.
2. Why does Louisiana need a headquarters hotel?
The Omni Headquarters Hotel would be the first 1,000+-room convention hotel opened in Louisiana since 1982. The Omni Headquarters Hotel helps the region stay competitive with other states by offering meeting planners and event organizers dedicated room blocks and event space near the Convention Center. This makes Louisiana a more viable convention destination, creates jobs and drives greater demand for hotel rooms, restaurants and retail business.
82% of meeting planners said this project would make them more likely to bring future events to Louisiana, according to an independent survey with the Professional Convention Management Association.
A panel of those same senior event professionals agreed that the Omni Headquarters Hotel will significantly enhance our competitiveness and solve several long standing logistical challenges for large-scale events.
3. What are the specific benefits this headquarters hotel would bring to the state?
An independent study projects the Omni Headquarters Hotel will have an annual economic impact of $213.6 million by year four of its operation, support 1,400 permanent jobs and generate over $15.2 million in new taxes for the city and state.
A nearly 400m dollar construction budget will create up to 2,500 jobs across multiple trades over a 36-month period, generating workforce opportunities and local spending. Construction and material taxes would generate an additional $11-12 million in new state tax revenue and more than $8.05 million for the city.
4. How will this development improve business in the state?
The competition has never been tougher when it comes to recruiting and retaining events and conventions. Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Ohio and Kentucky are adding billions in new or renovated convention centers, stadiums and headquarters hotels to their hospitality offerings.
The State of Louisiana depends on the Convention Center to remain competitive and drive revenue across Louisiana. The Omni Headquarters Hotel will strengthen the state’s attractiveness, helping to both retain and entice new events that bring thousands of visitors who will support local small businesses, restaurants and other establishments.
5. Do other hotels support the project?
Yes. In fact, the leadership of the hotels closest to the Convention Center, such as the Hilton Garden Inn, Eliza Jane hotel and the Hampton Inn, has all taken a public position in favor of the Omni Headquarters Hotel, as they recognize that the hotel will generate net new hotel room demand and elevate the average rates charged at existing hotels.
6. Who will own and operate the new headquarters hotel?
Omni Hotels & Resorts (Omni) will develop, own and operate the hotel. Unlike most brands, Omni owns and operates its properties, now over 50 in North America, many of them convention center hotels.
The Convention Center owns the land on which the hotel is built and is leasing it to Omni. Currently this land produces minimal revenue.
7. What makes Omni a good partner for this project?
Omni has a record of successfully developing hotels connected to convention centers: Nashville, Dallas, Fort Worth, Boston, Oklahoma City, San Diego and Louisville – all of which have exceeded fiscal expectations. Omni also has projects in development in Raleigh and Fort Lauderdale. Of importance to Louisiana is the attention Omni gives to incorporating the local history and culture into project design.
8.How was Omni selected for the project?
Omni has been in discussions with the Authority’s development team since 2018, when the Authority first selected a developer for its upriver site.
9.What facilities are planned for the new hotel?
The Omni Headquarters Hotel is designed to have 1,006 rooms and 100,000 square feet of ballroom, event and meeting space. It will feature several outstanding food and beverage outlets and offer amenities and services found at world-class hotels, including a 7th floor pool deck and rooftop bar.
10.Where will the Omni Headquarters Hotel be located?
The hotel will be located directly across from the Convention Center on the property formerly known as the Sugar Mill and its adjoining parking lot. Bound by Convention Center Blvd., Andrew Higgins and South Peters with the Mississippi River Heritage Park on the upriver side of the building.
11.Were other sites considered?
Yes, both the parking lot between the Convention Center and the Hilton Riverside New Orleans Hotel, commonly known as the Whale Lot, and the Authority-owned 8-acre upriver site in the River District neighborhood were considered. The owners of the Whale Lot were not interested in the opportunity, and the Omni preferred the former Sugar Mill site to the River District location. Demand will eventually drive hotel development in the River District, especially as other key projects, like Shell Riverside, come online in the new neighborhood.
12. How will the Mississippi River Heritage Park be impacted?
After over a dozen formal and informal meetings with near neighbors and stakeholders in 2024 and 2025, Omni and Convention Center planners moved off the initial proposed location, which included a portion of the park.
Instead, the park will not be built on, as the building will complement the park and the park will complement the building. Omni is discussing how best to partner with the City of New Orleans to maintain the park, so it remains a premier public space.
This aligns with the Convention Center’s broader investment in preserving public spaces, including its $9 million contribution to the new Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Park along the riverfront of the French Quarter and Bywater.
13. Is parking a part of the design?
The hotel includes an integrated 300-space on-site garage, which will be supported by the existing 1,000-car parking garage located across the street, far exceeding what would be expected for a 1,000-room hotel.
Also, designers maximized space to allow valet cars to move directly into the garage, keeping them off Convention Center Boulevard and South Peters.
14. What about pipes and drainage?
Omni is funding, at its own expense, the replacement of major sewer and drainage lines surrounding the hotel site. As a result, the Warehouse District will benefit from some of the most modern subsurface infrastructure in the city upon the hotel’s completion.
This will complement the River District infrastructure improvements that are expected to provide broader benefits across the entire riverfront area.
15. Why does it need to be so tall?
The height is essential to deliver the full headquarters hotel program. It provides the necessary mix of rooms, ballrooms and meeting space that makes the project truly transformational, while maintaining our commitment to keeping parking intact and avoiding expanding the footprint into the park or encroaching on Andrew Higgins Boulevard.
16. Will there be controls in the development agreement to allow the Convention Center to optimize use of the hotel?
Yes, among them is a “room-block agreement” committing 80% of the room block to use by events in the Convention Center up to a pre-determined number of months out from the event. This is critical to attracting new Conventions and events. Our convention sales team is already marketing the hotel as part of planning for 2030 and beyond and is receiving great interest, and we expect the Omni Headquarters Hotel to result in up to 27 new events and conventions annually.
17. Who is the general contractor? Will local contractors be able to participate in the project?
Brasfield & Gorrie has been selected by Omni Hotels & Resorts and its parent company, TRT Holdings, to be the general contractor. This will be the eighth Omni Headquarters Hotel they will have constructed nationwide. Brasfield & Gorrie held a subcontractor symposium on April 14, 2026, attended by 200 local and regional firms and contractors.
Those interested in learning more can contact Brasfield & Gorrie at omninola@brasfieldgorrie.com
You can also visit the contractor’s website for the Omni Headquarters Hotel at https://www.brasfieldgorrie.com.
18. What has happened and what happens next?
The Authority approved the principal hotel development documents on January 29, 2025, which provided Omni the necessary clearance to proceed with design of the hotel and initiate the public process for obtaining zoning approval, a height variance and public building permits from the City of New Orleans.
The Convention Center and Omni representatives held seven meetings from April 2025 to early January 2026 with community leaders, small business owners and the City of New Orleans, culminating in a Neighborhood Participation Program (NPP) meeting on January 15, 2026. Over 450 people attended these meetings.
The NPP meeting started the City approval process for zoning, a height variance and public building permits from the City of New Orleans, which is nearly complete.
The project secured approval from the Central Business District Historic District Landmarks Commission (CBD HDLC) on March 11, 2026, for demolition of the Sugar Mill and a small triangular building, previously used as a tire warehouse, both located on the proposed site. CBD HDLC issued no objection to the hotel’s design on May 6, 2026.
The City Planning Commission Advisory Committee, on April 8, 2026, voted to advance the street transfer to the City Planning Commission. The City Planning Commission approved the proposed zoning requests on April 14, 2026.
The demolition and zoning requests were approved by the City Council on August 6, 2026.
Construction is expected to last 3 years.
The hotel is anticipated to open in 2030.
19. Bottom line: How does the HQ hotel impact the future of Louisiana?
The State of Louisiana has struggled to attract major investment over the past decade. Opportunity and Omni’s belief in the state as a market is a testament to hard work paying off, from Governor Landry down to the 440 employees of the Convention Center, who consistently put on the top shows in the world.
Louisiana is a great state, and great states don’t stand still. They invest, they compete and they lead.
This project will spur economic momentum, job creation and investment across the region, as the State of Louisiana demonstrates that we are Built to Host.
Revised September 1, 2026