US Gulf Coast: better than ever
As the memory of two traumatic hurricane seasons begins to recede like a weakened wave, there’s dramatic resort growth along the Gulf of Mexico — revitalized downtowns, new and upgraded resorts and a variety of new hotels.
There is perhaps no better example of a comeback than in one of the hardest hit victims of the storms: New Orleans. The Big Easy hit the 6 million visitor mark last year, up from 3.7 million in 2006, according to estimates by the New Orleans Metropolitan CVB.
While hotel rooms in the metro area total 32,000 compared to the pre-Katrina total of 36,000, the CVB claims the city has more one-of-a-kind restaurants than ever, and daily airport departures are at 82% of the pre-Katrina number.
“We’ve always been known for our citywide conventions. What is new for us is the shorter-term corporate market, which we’ve gone after aggressively,†said Kelly Schulz, the CVB’s vice president, communications and public relations. She added:
“Corporations are being drawn to New Orleans for the wealth of opportunities to volunteer and stay an extra day or half day to work.â€
Other examples:
—-The 26-mile-long Mississippi Gulf Coast continues its post-Katrina revival with record-breaking gaming revenues in recent months. Biloxi’s reopened and renovated Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center is scheduled for a $68 million, 200,000-square-foot expansion to be completed in 2009.
—-Work is also under way in Biloxi for an early 2010 opening of the new $704 million, 798-room Harrah’s Margaritaville Casino & Resort, which will include 66,000 square feet of meeting space.
—-Mobile, Alabama reached a milestone last year in waterfront revitalization, much of it adjacent to the 317,000-square-foot Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center. There are now 1,200 rooms within walking distance of the convention center.
—Almost all of the accommodations along Alabama’s Gulf Coast, which begins 80 miles southeast of Mobile and continues along 30 miles of white sand beach, were hard-hit by Hurricane Ivan. But most were back in business by late 2005. Lodging was at record levels last year, according to the Alabama Gulf Coast CVB. “The accommodations that reopened are more upscale. A number of attractions have been added, and there is more meeting space on the horizon,†said Beth Gendler, sales director for the CVB.
Report by David Wilkening
David
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