Hurricane Damage To NEW Precludes Static Aircraft Display

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) told ANN Thursday the organization has made the difficult decision to move its 2008 Annual Meeting & Convention from New Orleans to Orlando.

"We have been looking forward to hosting our Convention in New Orleans in 2008, consistent with our desire to assist the city in recovering from Hurricane Katrina," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "Reluctantly, we have made the difficult decision that we will not be able to host the Annual Meeting & Convention in New Orleans, but will have to move it to Orlando."

As Aero-News reported, NBAA was forced to move the 2005 meeting from New Orleans because it was scheduled to open just a few weeks after the hurricane devastated the city. Since then, Bolen said that much about New Orleans has been revitalized.

"The convention center looks great, the hotels are opening and the French Quarter is vibrant," he said. "However, NBAA's Annual Meeting & Convention is about general aviation, and the ability to exhibit aircraft is fundamental to a successful event.

"Unfortunately, in a number of significant ways the Lakefront Airport (NEW) that would be the site of NBAA's Static Display does not appear to be coming back as fast as other parts of the city, and NBAA would not be able to successfully host this large display at the airport in the way that our show Exhibitors and Attendees have come to expect," Bolen said.

In 2005, NBAA had pledged fund-raising and other relief assistance to New Orleans and Gulf region. At the Annual Meeting & Convention that year, which was moved to Orlando, NBAA and its Members and Attendees raised over $100,000 for the relief effort.

"In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the business aviation community provided a tremendous amount of assistance for Gulf Coast citizens impacted by Hurricane Katrina," Bolen said at the time. "NBAA is pleased that the [2005] Convention was able help our industry build upon its generosity to New Orleans' citizens with several initiatives to provide financial support to the ongoing relief efforts," he said.

Contributions raised through NBAA's Convention-related efforts that year were donated to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, which was established by former Presidents Bush and Clinton to provide relief and rebuilding resources to help victims in areas impacted by the hurricane.

The 2008 Annual Meeting & Convention now will be held in Orlando, FL. The new dates will be Monday, October 6 through Wednesday, October 8, 2008.

In 2006, NBAA's largest annual event drew more than 33,000 people to Orlando's Orange County Convention Center. This year's Annual Meeting & Convention will be held in downtown Atlanta at the Georgia World Conference Center from September 25 to 27.

FMI: www.nbaa.org