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Hyatt Regency New Orleans to Offer the Most Meeting Space
in New Orleans as Part of its $275 Million Redesign

Will Re-open with 200,000 Square Feet of Meeting and Event Space


NEW ORLEANS, LA (October 4, 2011) – Following a $275 million redesign and revitalization, Hyatt Regency New Orleans will re-open as the city’s premier meeting and convention hotel with more than 200,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space. The project, conceived by award-winning interior designers Looney & Associates in collaboration with the creative architectural design team at HC Architecture was designed with the convention guest in mind, combining modern luxury with high function. Having doubled its meeting and exhibition space, the 32-story hotel will offer the most meeting space of any hotel in the city, as well as the unique ability to self-contain group events of all sizes. Complementing the expansive meeting spaces, the hotel will also boast 1,193 all-new strikingly sophisticated guest rooms and suites, an impressive food and beverage program, and unprecedented service.

“In planning the hotel’s redevelopment, we conducted three economic studies and spoke directly to the industry’s top meeting planners for unbiased feedback and recommendations,” said Michael Smith, General Manager, Hyatt Regency New Orleans. “Our ability to house, meet, feed and entertain more than 1,200 guests at one time truly differentiates us from the competition, and I think meeting planners will be both surprised and delighted by all that we have to offer.”

As the largest meeting and convention hotel in New Orleans, Hyatt Regency features 80,000 square feet of flexible exhibition space, highlighted by its new 50,000 square-foot, fully-finished Elite Hall and two stunning 25,000 square-foot ballrooms. The substantial space also includes 64 versatile meeting and banquet rooms, 19 executive level meeting rooms and seven permanent boardrooms. The hotel’s ability to accommodate one large group or several small groups simultaneously offers planners exceptional space versatility and functionality unlike any other hotel in the region.

Named after one of the original jazz venues located in New Orleans’ famed Tango Belt, The Elite Hall couples history with functionality in a space that is both uniquely New Orleans in design and highly efficient for large scale events. The 50,000 square-foot exhibition space is finished with Axminster carpet, rich color tones, and pays tribute to the city’s musical past with antique photographs of local jazz venues and musicians. Highlighted by dramatic vaulted ceilings that reach up to 17 feet, The Elite Hall can accommodate up to 250 exhibition booths and includes a separate 12,600 square-foot foyer equipped with permanent registration desks.  Conveniently located on the ground level of the hotel, the space also includes a dedicated load-in and roll-up door allowing for deliveries to be made directly into the space.

The Empire Ballroom is named for the city’s own historic Empire Theater and fuses the city’s classic design heritage and culture with modern architecture and sleek interiors. The room’s signature design elements include six glistening chandeliers made of Italian hand-blown glass teardrops, and five delicate candelabra fixtures lining the ballroom’s grand entryway. Offering an impressive sense of arrival, guests are welcomed by a dramatic monumental staircase leading to a 10,000 square-foot pre-function space adjacent to the ballroom. Upon entering the ballroom, rich shades of raspberry, mink and champagne truly bring the space to life. With its striking floor-to-ceiling glass windows and access to a private, outdoor terrace, the ballroom provides a distinguished atmosphere for business and social events year-round.

Named after famed American jazz musician Oscar “Papa” Celestin, The Celestin Ballroom features a slightly different color palette with shades of sapphire, cerulean and silver. The architectural details include interlocking, bracelet-style custom woodwork with beveled mirrors that embellish both the walls and ceiling to showcase the ballroom’s twelve crystal chandeliers. Located on the third floor, the ballroom is conveniently situated adjacent to Storyville Hall, a 25,000 square-foot exhibit hall named after one of the areas of town that Oscar “Papa” Celestin often performed, to accommodate larger events. Both The Celestin and Empire Ballrooms can host receptions for up to 3,000 guests.

On the fourth floor, there are 19 executive level rooms, including five permanent boardrooms that range in size from 300 square-feet to 1080 square-feet, ideal for smaller meetings. Four of these rooms can be combined to form one room that is 3,696 square-feet. The Executive Meeting Level also has a dedicated Meeting Concierge on the floor and will feature complete packages and amenities such as individual coffee makers in each room. These rooms, in addition to the two 25,000 square-foot ballrooms and 80,000 square-feet of exhibition space allow the hotel to truly accommodate meetings of any size.  The hotel’s new 25,000 square-foot pool deck will also be available for outdoor events.

The hotel will also feature five Meeting Planner Suites, a signature item, designed with the comfort of meeting planners in mind. Each suite will include an oversized work area with the ability to print, fax and copy; elevated service via a direct phone line to In-Room Dining; and pre-stocked refrigerators to ensure planners feel at home with their favorite amenities on-hand. The Meeting Planner Suites boast enhanced amenities including Geneva docking stations, Harmon Kardon surround sound system, Ecotones Sound and Sleep Machines and Keurig Coffee Brewers. For the technology enthusiast, the suites include a 32 GB iPod touch, iPad2, an iMac computer with a wireless printer and a TeleAdapt ChargeHub Station.

All meeting rooms and ballrooms will offer modern technology and cutting edge amenities to ensure that every meeting and exhibition detail is executed with ease and precision, including on-property A/V and tech support, state-of-the-art A/V equipment and high-speed Wi-Fi connections. The hotel features 100 Mbps dedicated to the meeting space that can be divided as needed and can support webcasting, video streaming and video conferencing.  The hotel’s interactive guestroom TV system, Roomlinx, will allow groups and visiting companies to extend their reach beyond the meeting room floor to schedule individual appointments, display event schedules, and even advertise through the television in attendees’ guestroom. Serving as the hotel’s business center, the on-property FedEx Office is available for all printing, office and shipping needs, and Swank Audio Visual provides innovative technology and on-the-ground event management. Additionally, Freeman Decorating Services Inc. is available to handle and execute all exhibition requirements, and Kuoni Destination Management Company provides turnkey on/off-property events, customized group tours around New Orleans and dine around tours.  Each of the hotel’s partners will have an office on-site to ensure seamless service at all times.

Highlights of the hotel’s expansive culinary offerings include 8 Block Kitchen & Bar, a 360-seat, full-service restaurant and bar, Vitascope Hall, a media/action bar outfitted with 25 flat-screen TVs, and Borgne, the latest restaurant by Chef John Besh that will feature coastal Louisiana seafood with a touch of Spanish influence. All food and beverage spaces offer private and semi-private rooms for more intimate group events. Exhibitors and meeting attendees looking to satiate any-time cravings will also have access to Starbucks Café and Lagniappe Exchange, a 24-hour, locally-sourced fresh market and convenience store. Additional culinary options  include Starbucks, Whole Hog Café featuring award winning barbecue and Pizza Consegna, a pizza delivery-only program that will prepare and deliver savory, hand-tossed pizzas directly to guests located anywhere in the hotel, including the exhibit halls.

Groups looking to book and hold meetings between October 19, 2011 and March 31, 2012 will receive a special opening offer that includes 3% off the master bill, the ability to earn Triple Hyatt Gold Passport® and 15% off audio/visual charges.  For additional information, please contact Hyatt Regency New Orleans group sales department at 504.561.1234 or visit www.neworleans.hyatt.com .

About Hyatt Regency New Orleans
Hyatt Regency New Orleans will re-open on October 19, 2011 after a $275 million redesign and revitalization and will feature 1,193 guest rooms and suites, 200,000 square feet of meeting and event space, expansive food and beverage offerings, and unprecedented service. Located downtown on Loyola Avenue, the hotel is adjacent to the Louisiana Superdome and anchors the vibrant Sports and Entertainment District. Hyatt Regency New Orleans borders the new Medical District, the Arts & Entertainment District and is just blocks from the French Quarter, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the Mississippi Riverfront. For reservations and additional information, please call 888.591.1234 or visit www.neworleans.hyatt.com.
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Contact:

Emily Hottensen
Susan Magrino Agency
352 Park Avenue South, 13th Floor
New York, NY  10010
p: 212.957.3005 
e: [email protected]


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Also See: Hyatt Regency New Orleans to Debut Two 25,000-Square-Foot Ballrooms, The Empire Ballroom and The Celestin Ballroom, as Part of its $275 Million Transformation / August 2011

Hyatt Regency New Orleans, Shuttered Since Hurricane Katrina, Set to Open in October 2011 Following a $275 Million Redesign / May 2011

AREA Property Partners, formerly Apollo Real Estate Advisors, and Hyatt Undertaking a Multimillion Redevelopment of the 1,193-room Hyatt Regency New Orleans, Shuttered Since Hurricane Katrina / July 2010

Michael O. Smith, GM of the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, Stood Tall in the Chaos All Around Him / December 2005

Strategic Hotels & Resorts Completes Sell of the 1,184-room Hyatt Regency New Orleans to Poydras Properties Hotel Holdings Co. for $32 million / January 2008

Strategic Hotel Capital Estimates Hyatt Regency New Orleans Losses Due to Storm Damage and Lost Business Could Exceed $100 million; Discussing Public/private Partnership for the Renovation of the Hotel and its Immediate Neighborhood / October 2005
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