I am going to New Orleans for the first time this Fall..

[bleedingheart]

granted it is for a business convention....

Perhaps I sound crazy but has the city recovered enough for a convention?

[pitohui]

1. yes they've already had conventions

they had the librarian's convention, i think it was 17,000 people, the tourist areas are fine, it's the neighborhoods on lower ground where people lived that are not fine

[bleedingheart]

2. that makes me feel awful...

[pitohui]

5. well good grief don't feel awful! they want the business

i don't think they should be promoting tourism mid-august thru third week of september, the time of greatest risk, but they are desperate for business, and they want people to come whenever

in any case, knock on wood, we are highly unlikely to have another storm this year because of the wind patterns in the upper atmosphere

more tourists, more people spending money, it's a good thing, nobody's looking for a hand-out, people do want to get life back on track, the sooner there's a semblence of normality the better :-)

biloxi is welcoming business back as well, altho the few open casino resorts are naturally EXTREMELY busy and packed

[KamaAina]

3. Dang! You're gonna beat me back in!

The hell of it is, I am speaking at one of the conferences that wussed out last year. So now I get an all-expenses-paid trip to... Atlanta. Not that I'm anti-Atlanta or anything -- I once seriously considered settling there, along with one of my N.O. acquaintances, in fact -- but it just isn't the same as having them pay for my triumphant return after 15 (soon to be 16 :( ) years.

Do be sure to give us all a firsthand report, and note that there are several active NOLA-area DUers, most of whom (I think) enjoy company.

[huskerlaw]

4. I'll be going to a convention in NO

next summer. I'm looking forward to it, and plan to spend all of my free time helping with clean up (which sadly will still be needed next summer).

One of my co-workers went to the above-mentioned ALA convention in NO about a month ago. The city is definitely convention-worthy. But prepare yourself for heart-wrenching sights if you venture away from the convention center/French Quarter areas. And perhaps look into ways to volunteer while you're down there!

[bleedingheart]

7. I will check with my boss....I may be able to go down early and

put in some volunteer time.

[1gobluedem]

6. I'm going next week

For a conference. Staying at the Hilton but I hope I get a chance to get out and see where I can help. My church adopted a church that was devastated; I hope to see it.