ConventionSouth names NOENMCC as 2024 Reader’s Choice Winner
submitted by New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC)
NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC) has earned its fourth consecutive ConventionSouth’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Award, the magazine’s highest honor. Approximately 7,400 votes were cast by venue professionals to decide the 2024 Readers’ Choice winners. The recognition reflects the Convention Center’s continued commitment to professionalism, innovation and service.
ConventionSouth is the leading national multimedia resource for planning events in the South. Based in Gulf Shores, Ala., the magazine is distributed nationwide to more than 18,000 meeting professionals.
“We are truly honored to receive the 2024 Reader’s Choice award, which reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team,” said Alita Caparotta, interim President and CEO of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. “This recognition not only highlights our commitment to enhancing our world-class facilities but also reinforces our ongoing focus on sustainability, community engagement and creating opportunities for local businesses. We are proud to continue serving as a key driver of economic growth and a top destination for events in New Orleans.”
Since opening in 1985, the NOENMCC has become a cornerstone of New Orleans’ tourism sector, generating over $5.7 billion in tax revenue and contributing more than $90.1 billion in total economic impact. The Convention Center supports over 24,000 permanent jobs in the region and remains dedicated to continued growth as a premier events venue. The facility is currently undergoing significant upgrades as part of its $557 million Capital Improvement Plan, which includes energy-efficient improvements, the renovation of meeting rooms and the addition of a 7.5-acre pedestrian park. In 2022, the NOENMCC achieved gold-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, underscoring its commitment to sustainable practices.
Beyond facility enhancements, the NOENMCC is also focused on creating opportunities for small and emerging businesses (SEBs). Through its SEB program and the SEBConnect app, the Convention Center has awarded over $43 million in contracts to SEB vendors since 2019, demonstrating the NOENMCC’s dedication to fostering economic growth within the community.
The Convention Center is looking ahead to two new projects that will enhance the area surrounding its facility. The Authority has partnered with Omni Hotels & Resorts to develop a proposed 1,000-room headquarters hotel. A separate partnership with River District Neighborhood Investors will convert 39 acres of undeveloped urban land into The River District. This new neighborhood will be a riverfront hub featuring restaurants, shopping, entertainment, offices, greenspaces and a range of residential options, including affordable housing and workforce housing. Having a new headquarters hotel will increase New Orleans’ destination appeal nationally and regionally, bringing opportunities for continued growth and success for the city, region and state.
Read more about the Convention Center’s Readers’ Choice Award in ConventionSouth magazine’s 2024 December Awards Issue.
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 for 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.
