New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

What New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center does

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC, DBA "MCCNO") is a public-authority-owned convention and exhibition facility located at 900 Convention Center Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana. Opened in 1985, it operates 1.1 million square feet of prime exhibit space on a single level — tying for the sixth-largest convention center in the United States — and hosts nearly 100 events annually, supporting associations, trade show organizers, corporate clients, and consumer audiences. The facility is governed by the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority, a 13-member public board (10 appointed by the Governor of Louisiana, 3 by the Mayor of New Orleans), and is led by President and CEO Jim Cook (appointed 2025).

The venue's core product is the facility itself, supplemented by specialized sub-products: The New Orleans Theater (4,000+ seat auditorium with computerized lighting and production systems), The Great Hall (60,300 sq ft column-free ballroom), La Nouvelle Orleans Ballroom (36,000 sq ft), the Ma Maison VIP Dining Suite, the Dutch's Corner convenience store, and the Louisiana Civil Rights Museum exhibit in Lobby A. Underlying technology centers on a state-of-the-art command center, LEED v4.1 Operations and Maintenance certified infrastructure (the facility is the largest LEED-certified project in Louisiana and the first convention center globally certified under LEED v4.1 O+M), and a transportation hub for buses, shuttles, taxis, and ride-shares.

Revenue is generated primarily through space rental and event services for conventions, trade shows, corporate meetings, and exhibitions, with exclusive food and beverage services provided under a long-running partnership with Centerplate. Pricing is custom and quote-based, negotiated per event with multi-year contracts common for large anchor clients. The go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales with a dedicated sales staff, an RFP submission system, and an Event Organizer Portal for repeat clients. Distribution is supported by an active presence across major social platforms, an events calendar on mccno.com, email newsletters, and earned media through industry awards. The entity is currently executing a $557 million Capital Improvement Plan and a $600 million, 1,000-room Omni headquarters hotel development (zoning approved June 2026, opening targeted 2030), which together represent the most significant capacity and amenity expansion in the facility's history.

Name

New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

Legal name

New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

Website

https://mccno.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center operates a 1.1 million square foot, sixth-largest-in-the-U.S. exhibition facility hosting conventions, trade shows, corporate meetings, and consumer events. It serves event planners, associations, exhibitors, and corporate clients under a public authority, generating revenue primarily through quote-based space rental and event services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Convention & Event Venue Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)

Keywords

• Convention center services
• Event hosting facilities
• Trade show venues
• Meeting space rental
• Exhibition hall services

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Convention and Event Hosting: The Convention Center generates revenue through hosting conventions, trade shows, meetings, and events. Revenue comes from space rental, services, and related event activities for event planners and corporate clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center delivers event hosting services through a 1.1 million square foot, single-level facility that is tied for the sixth-largest convention center in the United States. Core offerings include main exhibit halls, the 4,000+ seat New Orleans Theater, the 60,300 sq ft column-free Great Hall ballroom, the 36,000 sq ft La Nouvelle Orleans Ballroom, and the Ma Maison VIP dining suite, supported by event sales, planning, exhibitor logistics, food and beverage (via exclusive partner Centerplate), and a transportation hub for event attendees.

Product overview

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center operates as a unified venue and events platform offering 1.1 million square feet of prime exhibit space on one level. The core product is the convention center facility itself, supplemented by specialized event spaces including The New Orleans Theater (4,000+ seat auditorium), The Great Hall (60,300 sq ft ballroom), Ma Maison VIP Dining Suite, and La Nouvelle Orleans Ballroom (36,000 sq ft). The center hosts recurring events such as NOLA ChristmasFest and provides amenities including Dutch's Corner convenience store and the Louisiana Civil Rights Museum. Business development initiatives include the SEBconnect digital platform and WIN Series programs supporting small businesses. A major expansion underway includes the $557 million Capital Improvement Plan and the 1,000-room Omni New Orleans headquarters hotel project (opening 2030).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NOLA ChristmasFest: Indoor holiday event held at the convention center, transforming 350,000 sq. ft. of convention space into a winter wonderland experience.
• Dutch's Corner
• SEBconnect

Products and services

• Convention Center Exhibit Hall Rental Rental of the 1.1 million square feet of prime exhibit space on a single level for conventions, trade shows, and corporate meetings; targeted at event planners, association executives, and corporate meeting organizers hosting large-scale national and international events.
• The New Orleans Theater A 4,000+ seat versatile conference auditorium with computerized lighting controls, superior sound and video equipment, a 7,000 square foot tension wire grid and catwalk system, and full-time production staff; divisible into three acoustically separate sections; targeted at conferences, general sessions, and large performances.
• The Great Hall Ballroom A 60,300 square foot column-free ballroom with 25,400 sq ft of multiuse prefunction space, a 4,660 sq ft Rivergate Room, 3,420 sq ft rooftop terrace, and 980 sq ft indoor balcony; hotel-like appointments; targeted at galas, banquets, and large receptions.
• La Nouvelle Orleans Ballroom A 36,000 square foot ballroom on the second level above Halls E and F with a banquet capacity of 1,800 people, subdividable for more intimate affairs; targeted at large banquets, weddings, and corporate celebrations.
• Ma Maison VIP Dining Suite An elegant VIP dining and reception suite with white glove service and French-inspired hospitality, located atop Hall C above the Atrium, featuring old-world tapestries, fine china, and hand-blown crystal; targeted at high-end executive dining and VIP receptions.
• Event Planning and Management Services End-to-end event planning, sales, and on-site event management services provided by a dedicated sales staff and event management team; targeted at event planners and corporate clients booking the facility.
• Exhibitor Services Exhibitor support including booth setup coordination, delivery logistics, services coordination, and online ordering via an Ungerboeck-based ordering portal; targeted at companies exhibiting at trade shows and events held at the facility.

Quantifiable outcome

• $93.2 billion in economic impact since 1985
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Omni Hotels & ResortsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2024Omni Hotels & Resorts is developing a 1,000-room headquarters hotel adjacent to the Convention Center as part of a $600 million investment. The project received City Council approval in June 2026 and is expected to open in 2030. The hotel will include tax stabilization commitments, local hiring requirements, and small business participation goals.
• CenterplatecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Centerplate serves as the exclusive food and beverage provider for the Convention Center. The partnership began in 2011 and celebrated its ten-year anniversary in 2021. Centerplate provides hospitality solutions including catering, concessions, and event dining services for all events held at the facility.
• Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Authority is the governing board of the Convention Center, composed of 13 commissioners (10 appointed by the Governor of Louisiana, 3 by the Mayor of New Orleans). The Authority's mission is to finance, construct and operate facilities to attract conventions, trade shows and other events.
• Kern StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to host a private parade for National Guard service members after Hurricane Ida, expressing gratitude for the Guard's use of the Convention Center as a base of operations during the storm recovery.
• Second Harvest Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered for Christmas in July volunteer event, delivering meals to the Boys and Girls Club of Gretna as part of the NOLA ChristmasFest community outreach.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Orange County Convention Center: The Orange County Convention Center in Orlando (~2.1M sq ft) is the second-largest convention center in the U.S., operated by a public authority. It is a direct competitor for national trade shows and conventions targeting similar customer segments.
• Jacob K. Javits Convention Center: The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York (~1.3M sq ft after 2021 expansion) is operated by the New York Convention Center Operating Corporation, a quasi-public state entity. It is comparable in large-scale public convention venue operations and customer segments.
• Moscone Center: Moscone Center in San Francisco (~1.2M sq ft total) is owned by the City and County of San Francisco. It is comparable as a major-city public convention venue competing for tech, healthcare, and association conventions.
• Los Angeles Convention Center: The Los Angeles Convention Center (~720K sq ft exhibit space) is operated by the City of Los Angeles. It is comparable in operating model (municipally-affiliated venue) and competes for West Coast and international convention demand.
• Colorado Convention Center: The Colorado Convention Center in Denver (~584K sq ft exhibit space) is operated by the City and County of Denver. It is comparable in destination-convention positioning and competing for association conferences.
• McCormick Place: McCormick Place in Chicago is the largest convention center in North America (~2.6M sq ft), operated by a public authority. It is the most directly comparable peer, sharing the same public-authority governance model, convention/trade show focus, and similar event hosting scale.
• Henry B. González Convention Center: The Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio (~1.6M sq ft) is operated by a city-owned authority. It is comparable in mid-tier convention center scale and competes with MCCNO for regional and association events in the South.
• Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCC): The Las Vegas Convention Center (~4.6M sq ft total including the new West Hall) is operated by the LVCVA, a public authority. It is a direct peer in the large convention venue space, competing for the same trade show and meeting planners.
• Georgia World Congress Center Authority: The Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta (~1.4M sq ft) is operated by a state authority, directly comparable to MCCNO in size, governance structure, and Southeast U.S. convention market positioning.
• Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center: The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas (~2M sq ft) is operated by the City of Dallas. It is a direct competitor for conventions and trade shows with similar scale and a connected headquarters hotel model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/neworleansenmcc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NewOrleansENMCC
• Facebookfacebook.com/NewOrleansCC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-orleans-ernest-n-morial-convention-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/mccno

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center