FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Kelly Schulz or Jenn Lotz (CVB)
504-566-5019
kschulz@neworleanscvb.com/jlotz@neworleanscvb.com

Tim Hemphill (Convention Center)
504-582-3039
themphill@mccno.com

New Orleans CVB and New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Secure Six Major Citywide Conventions
Six major citywide conventions expected to bring 66,000 attendees and generate $77 million in economic impact between 2012 and 2014

NEW ORLEANS – March 3, 2010 – The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), in partnership with the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, have secured the conventions of Club Managers Association of America, Kiwanis International, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine, American Society of Plastic Surgeons and Benevolent & Protective Order of ELKS, which will bring 66,000 attendees and $77.6 million to the local economy between 2012 and 2014.

These convention bookings reaffirm New Orleans’ status as a top meeting destination in an unprecedented competitive environment during the national recession.

“New Orleans is a city with depth, character and soul, lending itself as a premier destination for major conventions by offering attendees a great, convenient hotel package surrounded by the best restaurants in the country,” said Nikki Nicholson, vice president of convention sales for the New Orleans CVB. “With millions of dollars in improvements to the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, and all the elements that make our city so authentic, it's no surprise that New Orleans is the destination of choice for major conventions.”

· February 9-11, 2012: Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) is the professional association for managers of membership clubs. CMAA has close to 7,000 members across all classifications. Manager members run more than 3,000 country, golf, city, athletic, faculty, yacht, town and military clubs. CMAA last met in New Orleans in February 2009. The 2012 convention anticipates 2,400 attendees.

· June 28-30, 2012: Kiwanis International, an organization comprised of nearly 600,000 adult and youth members in 90 countries and geographic areas, will hold its 2012 International Convention in New Orleans. The gathering is expected to bring more than 5,000 attendees. Kiwanis members dedicate more than six million volunteer hours and invest more than $100 million annually in projects that strengthen communities and serve children.

· July 18-22, 2012: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) brought 36,000 students to New Orleans in 2009 for "Jesus+Justice+Jazz,” the largest meeting held in New Orleans in several years. Throughout the gathering, 12,000 students a day worked at 154 community service sites, clocking in more than 250,000 hours of community service. 26,725 teenagers were accompanied by 8,593 adult leaders, including 37 bishops, and another 1,700 volunteers. They visited from 49 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and from 2,990 congregations across all 65 synods of the ELCA. ELCA Global Mission's international companion program brought about 50 young Lutherans to the gathering from as many as 25 countries in Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe and South America. The 2012 meeting anticipates 36,000 attendees as well. In addition to partnering with the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the Louisiana Superdome will play a key role as a venue during this event.

· August 17-23, 2012: The Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine (A.E.A.O.N.M.S.) visited New Orleans in 1986, 1993, 1998, 2005 and 2006. The A.E.A.O.N.M.S. is a charitable, benevolent, fraternal and social organization, dedicated to unselfish giving of goods and services on both the local and national level. The 2012 convention anticipates nearly 6,000 attendees.

· October 25-28, 2012: The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has committed to New Orleans in 2012 and expects attendance levels to reach 7,000. ASPS last visited New Orleans in 1999 and brought approximately 6,400 attendees to the city. ASPS, established in 1931, is the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the world. Representing more than 7,000 physician members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery.

· July 12-16, 2014: The Benevolent & Protective Order of ELKS (ELKS) last visited New Orleans in 1995 and brought an estimated 14,000 attendees to the city. ELKS is a fraternal order with a 141-year history and a network of more than 2,000 lodges in communities all over the country, including Lodge 30, one of the oldest lodges in the nation located in New Orleans. ELKS is dedicated to its charitable foundations, and each year donates millions of dollars in scholarships, while acting as an inspiration to youth and a friend to veterans. ELKS anticipates nearly 10,000 attendees for the 2014 meeting.

High-profile conventions also fill the 2013 calendar. New Orleans will host the American Chemical Society, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Neurological Surgeons, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Dental Association and the American Society for Cell Biology.

The New Orleans CVB is the driving catalyst for New Orleans’ largest industry, strategically leading national and international marketing, public relations and visitor services efforts that attract millions of visitors, events, conventions and festivals. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2010. For more information, please visit www.neworleanscvb.com.

With 1.1 million square feet of contiguous exhibit space, an award winning staff and first class amenities, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is the sixth largest convention center in the nation and a consistent Top 10 host of the largest number of conventions and tradeshows annually. A leading rainmaker of the city’s hospitality industry, MCCNO event activity has produced $39.12 billion in economic impact since its 1985 opening, including $2.19 billion in new tax revenue.

###