Omni Hotels & Resorts announces name and shares renderings.
NEW ORLEANS, LA, January 31, 2025: On January 30, 2025, The Ernest N.
Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority (the Authority) approved a
headquarters hotel development agreement and ground lease agreement with
Omni Hotels & Resorts (Omni) to develop a 1,000-room headquarters hotel
projected to be transformative for the city, region, and state. These
agreements allow Omni to move forward with development as owner and
operator of a headquarters hotel across the street from the New Orleans
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. In addition, Omni presented
renderings of the new hotel and revealed the logo and name as the Omni
New Orleans.
“Today marks a significant milestone for New Orleans and Louisiana.
Omni’s investment demonstrates the confidence national businesses have
in New Orleans and our state and reinforces that we are open and ready
for new opportunities,” said Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. “This hotel
will draw new meetings, conventions, and business travelers to the
region, benefiting hospitality-related businesses and creating more jobs
for residents. It’s a game changer for the tourism industry that powers
New Orleans and I look forward to seeing Omni New Orleans become a
landmark for hospitality and a symbol of growth in Louisiana.”
Omni has been in discussions with the Authority since 2018 when a
development consortium , including Omni was selected to develop a
headquarters hotel to anchor the $557MM convention center renovation and
upgrade. As the discussions evolved, Omni stepped up and offered to
guaranty all of the private capital needed to ensure that the project is
completed this go around. Omni has completed more convention center
headquarter hotels than any other developer or brand in the last 15
years and is a leader in the meetings and event business. The hotel
company is known for delivering on every promise and exceeding
expectations when partnering with cities on these types of
transformational projects – a standard Omni’s partners proudly attest
to.
This will be Omni’s second hotel in New Orleans. Omni has operated the
historic Omni Royal Orleans for decades, but just recently acquired the
building in 2021. Coupled with Omni’s plan to invest significantly in
the repositioning of the Omni Royal Orleans, Omni’s commitment to build
this $575 million headquarters hotel reflects the company’s longstanding
conviction in New Orleans and the future of travel and tourism in the
city.
With convention hotels in Dallas, Fort Worth, Nashville, Atlanta, Boston
and more, Omni continues to refine its approach to making these hotels
feel like urban resorts. All of the amenities will be thoughtfully
designed to complement the neighborhood fabric of the Warehouse
District. The programming of the new 1,000-key hotel will include
100,000 square feet of meeting space, several restaurants and bars, a
rooftop pool deck, a destination spa, a parking garage, and an upgrade to
the adjacent Mississippi River Heritage Park.
“Today’s votes showcase the power of thoughtful development – how it can
drive our state’s hospitality and tourism industry forward and benefit
the local community at the same time,” said Russ Allen, Ernest N. Morial
New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority President. “Omni is the best
partner to bring this project to fruition and finally give New Orleans
the new, dedicated headquarters hotel it needs.”
Omni New Orleans will be ideally located across the Convention Center
Boulevard at the site currently known as the Sugar Mill event venue.
Once constructed, the hotel will help attract events that have
previously passed on New Orleans because the city lacks a modern,
upscale headquarters hotel adjacent to the Convention Center. This
asset will help meet growing demand in the contemporary meetings market
and strengthen New Orleans’ position as a top-tier meeting and events
destination – one that is “Built to Host.”
“Today’s vote is an exciting moment for this project and Omni New
Orleans will be a fitting addition to the cityscape that underscores the
unique hospitality you can only find in this city,” said Kurt Alexander,
President of Omni Hotels & Resorts. “We look forward to engaging with
city officials, our neighbors in the Warehouse District, and
other community stakeholders to create a destination that everyone is
proud of and that reflects the amazing culture of New Orleans. We will
continue to share additional details as the project progresses.”
With the ground lease and development agreements approved, Omni will
follow the process of acquiring the necessary permits required by the
City of New Orleans. Hotel design will continue throughout 2025, and
construction is expected to start in 2026. The hotel is anticipated to
open in 2029. Once complete, the hotel will support approximately 1,400
permanent jobs across all sectors generate roughly $213.6 million in
annual impact on the local economy and add $15.2 million in
annual tax revenue for the city and the state.
About the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority
The Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority’s
(Authority) The exclusive mission 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 of
Louisiana and New Orleans Region. The Authority is composed of a
13-member board of commissioners, ten appointed by the Governor of
Louisiana, and three appointed by the Mayor of New Orleans. Since 1985,
event activity at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has
produced $90.1 billion in economic impact since its 1985 opening,
including $5.7 billion in new tax revenue for state and local
governments.
About the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
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 tied to the
sixth-largest convention center in the United States. NOENMCC is a 2025
Exhibitor Magazine Centers of Excellence recipient and is consistently
named a regional top workplace by The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans
Advocate. A 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+M. 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.
About Omni Hotels & Resorts:
Omni Hotels & Resorts creates genuine, authentic guest experiences at
over 50 distinct hotels and resorts in the most popular leisure and
business destinations across the United States and Canada.
With 26 iconic golf courses, including multiple short courses, 25
award-winning spas featured in dynamic locales nationwide, every Omni
proudly opens its doors to share the true spirit of its destination.
Omni Hotels & Resorts is the official hotel of the PGA TOUR(R) and PGA
of America. For information or to book accommodations, visit
omnihotels.com or call 1-800-The-Omni.