.:. Academy of Management - New Orleans 2004

.:. Travel & General Info

Welcome to New Orleans from the Local Arrangement Committee

Members of the Local Arrangements Committee are working hard to make your New Orleans conference a memorable one. The information below is meant as an introduction to New Orleans . Links throughout will provide even more detail to what we present you here.

.:. Access for people with disabilities

All conference hotels are reasonably close together. The two hotels housing registration, exhibits, and the vast majority of the meetings, the Sheraton and the Marriott, are across the street from one another. The other hotels, the Fairmont and the Ritz, are 500 yards away—see the accompanying map. The City of New Orleans is relatively flat and therefore not very difficult to get around. However, we are committed to assisting people with disabilities, and hope that those who anticipate special needs will discuss their concerns and contact us at needs@aom.pace.edu.

.:. Maps

New Orleans hotels and local area street map. [click here]

General area (New Orleans plus surrounding cities) map. [click here]

.:. Make Your Travel Plans

Find out more about making your travel arrangements. [click here]

.:. Securing a Visa to Attend

Planning to attend, participate or present at the Annual Meeting and need a letter to assist with process of obtaining a valid entry Visa?

.:. Copies and other business services

All of the conference hotels have business centers which can meet most of your needs. There are also several full service copy facilities located nearby.

.:. Transportation

From the Airport:

Airport Shuttle New Orleans is offering a $2.00 discount for all AOM travelers with this coupon [Print Coupon]. For more information, visit their wesbite [www.airportshuttleneworleans.com].

Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is approximately 18 miles from downtown New Orleans . See the airport's website, www.flymsy.com for more detail. Shuttles, Limousines and Taxis are readily available at the exit area from baggage claim. All travelers should allow at least ONE HOUR for this commute as traffic can sometimes be heavy. For departures, the airport recommends arriving no less than 90 minutes before your flight. New security rules prevent entry to the gate areas without a boarding pass.

Taxicabs:
Marked cars are plentiful throughout the uptown and downtown areas of the city. From the airport, one-way fares are currently set at $28 for up to two persons. The cost for three or more persons is $10 per passenger. As with most taxicabs, make sure that your driver is on the meter or that you have negotiated a rate BEFORE you get rolling. Since the airport ride is a fixed rate, the meter won't be necessary.

Options to taxies from the airport include the Airport Shuttle ($13 per person one-way) and Airport Limousine Service ($35 for one or two people and $10 per additional passenger up to eight people total).

Streetcars:
St. Charles Avenue Line: Runs 24 hours a day, everyday. Fare is $1.25 each way. Riverfront Line: Runs 6:00 a.m. to midnight , everyday. Fare is $1.50 each way. Exact change is required on both streetcar lines (they do take bills in addition to coins). The new Canal Street Line is due to open in March 2004 and should be available by the time of the conference. This line connects the Mississippi River to the New Orleans Art Museum in City Park . When it starts, it will be the first time since 1964 that streetcars have run on Canal Street . Join in the history but see the note on weather. The older lines don't have air conditioned cars.

.:. T-Shirts

Conference t-shirts will feature graphics evocative of New Orleans. View the T-Shirt Design. T-shirt sales will benefit a local charity to be announced. Please order your t-shirts when registering. They will be available for pick up in the registration area when the conference starts.

.:. Tours

In prior years the Local Arrangements Committee booked tours for members, but very often these were undersubscribed. We are continuing with the new standard set in Seattle by providing information on available tours to the members and allowing them to make the decisions. We have arranged to have a local company, Convention Hospitality Services, to answer questions about tour possibilities ahead of time and also to be present during the conference. They can be reached at: http://www.conventionhospitalityservices.net/conventions.htm

.:. Entertainment and Recreation

Known as the Big Easy, New Orleans has something for everyone. All four downtown hotels are within easy walking distance of one another as well as being close to the French Quarter, Harrah's Casino, and an extraordinary number of outstanding restaurants for the gourmet and gourmand. We also have many world-class family attractions including a nationally recognized children's museum, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, the Audubon Zoo, the National D-Day Museum, Six-Flags Jazzland Theme Park, and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. The list is long, the fun unlimited and the food sensational.

The New Orleans Convention and Visitor Bureau's (CVB) web site provides a wealth of information. It can be found at the following link: http://www.neworleanscvb.com/

Some particular items of interest on their web site include:

Restaurant information and reservation capability for several venues just to give you a taste of the area:

A visitor's guide at http://www.neworleanscvb.com/new_site/visitortemp.cfm with maps, frequently asked questions and travel tips;

Download a French Quarter Walking Tours at http://www.neworleanscvb.com/new_site/visitor/fqwalktour.cfm ; and,

Request to have an Official Visitors Guide mailed to you at http://www.neworleanscvb.com/new_site/visitor/visrequest.cfm .

Another useful site has its homepage at http://www.neworleans.com/ . Here you will find fun facts and history about New Orleans . For instance, a sub page, http://www.neworleans.com/cgi-bin/oracle/hs.cgi?search=CAT&Category=HISTORY, provides a pronunciation guide (e.g., Burgundy Street which parallels Bourbon Street – “bur-GUN-dee” (accent on second syllable – different from the color), a translation of directions (what is Upriver, Lakeside, and why the Westbank is to the East), and the rules for drinking (while few, there are some).

Other guides you may find useful are included on this site. We suggest that you start with “A Cultural Introduction to New Orleans” which provides much of the background of the city from steam boating to voodoo to the statues of the dead and graveyards. We also provide a “New Orleans at a Glance” document which can answer most of your questions and give you a general overview of the city. Finally, there is a “Three Day Guides” document. Here you will find suggestions for how to spend three days with tailor-made agendas for those with children, teenagers, young adults and/or seniors.

.:. Weather

The summer is one of the times when the name Big Easy really applies. Most everyone takes it easy; and, the rule is: if you have air conditioning, use it. In August, you can expect both temperature and humidity to be in the 90's during the day with a “cool-down” to the 80's at night. Therefore, be careful not to exert yourself and give yourself time for rest breaks if you're out and about. Although rain is not uncommon, it often comes in with a vengeance but normally doesn't last very long. Easy refuge is available in most of the bars or restaurants where you can take advantage of the City's other benefits.

.:. Common Safety Tips

1. Stick to main thoroughfares and well-lit, populated areas.
2. Avoid carrying a purse when possible. Do not display large amounts of cash in public places.
3. Remove name badges and convention wear when not attending functions.
4. Stow valuables out of sight in your vehicle.
5. If not parking in a lot or garage, park in heavily trafficked areas and read parking signs to avoid tickets and towing. If parked in a lot or garage, only conduct business with an attendant who has clearly marked and visible identification.
6. If you have been drinking, consider taking a taxi.
7. Do not participate in shell games and beware of hustlers offering shoeshines or betting they can “tell you where you got them shoes.”
8. Always go with a group when touring any of our cemeteries.
9. Do not leave your common sense in the hotel room.
10. Remember that most laws enforced in your city are enforced here as well.

.:. Scams and Street Entertainers

New Orleans relies on tourism as its major source of revenue. Therefore, like most such destinations, it also attracts those of lesser character. However, such people also promote the city's reputation and ambiance of being the “World's Biggest Free Party” with their actions.

The favorite street scam is for someone to approach you and offer to bet they can tell you “Where you got ‘dem shoes”. If you display any interest at all, someone may start shining your shoes while continuing a rapid fire discourse for a couple of minutes or for as long as you let them. Telling them you're not interested will normally be sufficient for them to leave you alone—they are not overly aggressive. The tag line is that this person knows you “got them shoes” on your feet. Now, since you've been entertained and had your shoes shined (quality not withstanding), this person will naturally expect you to provide a “donation”. The amount you donate, if anything at all, should be as much as you see fit—normally a couple of dollars.

Other street entertainers rely on similar donations and are held to the same expectation of not harassing tourists. Therefore, if you come across a musician, tap dancer, or live-statue, they will normally have a “tip bucket” in close proximity. Although they are not allowed to harass you, they do rely on these donations and can be fairly persuasive. Still, the police monitor this behavior to prevent any negative influence on the tourist experience. The bottom line is that if you feel that you have been entertained, show your appreciation however you see fit.