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 gamechanger 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 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, as well as 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 a combined $15.2 million in annual tax revenue for the city and the state.
Omni Hotel at New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans900 Convention Center BlvdNew Orleans, LA 70130United States
http://omnihotels.com/
