New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Hosts “WIN With NOENMCC” Event, Connecting Dozens of Small Businesses and Announcing New Orleans & Company’s Integration into SEBconnect App

   

Attendees networked and learned about contract opportunities and the updated SEBconnect

app’s new features

NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center’s (NOENMCC) Small and Emerging Business (SEB) Program held a “WIN with NOENMCC” event on January 8, 2025. Hosted by the Convention Center’s SEB Program, the goal of the event was to give small and emerging businesses the opportunity to network with industry leaders whose organizations have current or upcoming contracting opportunities. With an “Empowering Partnerships” theme, the first SEB event of the new year featured guest speakers from prominent partners of the SEB Program—the Port of New Orleans (PORT NOLA) and New Orleans & Company.

“Local businesses play a vital role in building a strong community, and New Orleans is home to a variety of remarkable small and emerging companies,” said Convention Center Interim President and CEO Alita Caparotta. “The Convention Center has long been committed to fostering connections and increasing access for these businesses in Louisiana. In partnering with other organizations to share information about upcoming jobs and projects, we are helping to build a brighter future for our city and our state.”

In addition to networking and exploring business opportunities, attendees at the “WIN with NOENMCC” event received some helpful tips on how to get the most out of the SEBconnect website and app. An online and mobile resource, SEBconnect is designed to create awareness and educate small businesses owners in real-time about available contracting, purchasing and new business opportunities with the Convention Center and other organizations. PORT NOLA and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB) joined SEBconnect in January 2024, and New Orleans & Company joined this month. As a sponsor and partner of the SEBconnect app, New Orleans & Company will utilize its extensive network of hospitality partners to enhance the platform and bring a more diverse cross-section of opportunities to the SEB community. Expanding the platform helps these large institutions reach a diverse pool of suppliers while providing them with access to a wide range of contracting and procurement opportunities.

“At New Orleans & Company, our mission is to inspire, promote and encourage travel to our city for the economic, social and community benefit of New Orleans and its people. This partnership with the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and Port of New Orleans on the Small and Emerging Business Program aids in our mission, and we are excited to be a part of the program,” said Walt Leger III, New Orleans & Company President and CEO. “Our participation will help support our city’s small and emerging businesses by connecting them with opportunities within our hospitality and tourism industry, a powerful economic engine.”

First launched in 2019, SEBconnect was created to help the NOENMCC engage more effectively with the business community by providing easier access to resources and business opportunities at the Convention Center. The concept was developed after research showed many small business owners were missing opportunities due to a lack of awareness and access. SEBconnect has proven to be a vital tool in repairing that disconnect. With the latest collaborations, SEBconnect’s streamlined process gives local businesses the most up-to-date contracts and purchasing offerings at PORT NOLA, NOPB, New Orleans & Company and the Convention Center.

“Port NOLA is proud to be the inaugural partner with the Convention Center on the SEBconnect app,” said Beth Branch, President and CEO of Port NOLA and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad. “Small and local businesses are the backbone of our economic ecosystem, and the SEBconnect app provides them with real-time access to upcoming opportunities. Over the past three years, Port NOLA has awarded more than $55 million in contracts to local, small and disadvantaged businesses, and we are dedicated to continuing our collaborative efforts to drive even greater impact.”

The app recently updated to SEBconnect 2.0 which offers users upgraded security and more user-friendly tools to manage business messages, notifications and announcement capabilities.

The Convention Center is dedicated to supporting New Orleans’ business community through its SEB Program. Since its launch in 2019, the NOENMCC has awarded $43 million in contracts to SEB and DBE vendors. To learn more about the NOENMCC’s Small and Emerging Business Program, visit exhallnola.com.

 

About the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC)

New Orleans is Built to Host! With 1.1 million square feet of prime exhibit space on one level, all under one roof, NOENMCC is tied for the sixth-largest convention center in the United States. NOENMCC is a 2025 Exhibitor Magazine Centers of Excellence recipient and is consistently named a regional top workplace by The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate. A recent LEED Gold certification makes NOENMCC the largest LEED-certified project in Louisiana and the largest convention center project in the U.S. certified under LEED v4.1 Operations and Maintenance, as well as the first convention center in the world to be awarded initial certification under LEED Gold v4.1 O+M. A leading contributor to the city’s robust tourism economy, NOENMCC event activity has produced $90.1 billion in economic impact since its 1985 opening.

 

About the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority

The Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority’s (Authority) exclusive mission is to finance, construct and operate facilities in order to attract and conduct conventions, trade shows and other events that support and expand the economy of both the State of Louisiana and New Orleans Region. The Authority is composed of a 13-member board of commissioners, ten appointed by the Governor of Louisiana, and three appointed by the Mayor of New Orleans. Since 1985, event activity at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has produced $90.1 billion in economic impact since its 1985 opening, including $5.7 billion in new tax revenue for state and local governments.

 

About New Orleans & Company

New Orleans & Company is the official destination sales and marketing organization for New Orleans’ tourism industry. Founded in 1960, our mission is to inspire, promote and encourage travel to our city for the economic, social and community benefit of New Orleans and its people. Our vision is to ensure New Orleans remains the most remarkable, unique, and welcoming city in the world. For more information, visit us at neworleans.com or on social media @VisitNewOrleans or @Neworleansandco.

 

About Port NOLA:

The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) is a modern multimodal gateway for global commerce and an in-demand cruise port — delivering seamless, integrated logistics solutions between river, rail, and road. Port NOLA is a diverse deep-water port uniquely located on the Mississippi River near the Gulf of Mexico — with access to 30-plus major inland hubs such as Dallas, Memphis, Chicago, and Canada via 14,500 miles of waterways, 6 Class I railroads and interstate roadways. Strategic alignment with the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, a Class III connecting railroad, strengthens Port NOLA’s position as an integrated hub and supports the Port’s mission of driving regional economic prosperity.

 

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