New Orleans Update:

(I just have to mention, Heather and I had scheduled posting this before ND poked. Why I am so compelled, I'm not sure)

Have heard from 17 hotels/hotel groups/hotel chains. Nightly rates range from $69.99-219.00/night, with most bidding $109.00. The cheapest rates are to be had in Metairie, which would mean arranging transport to sightsee in the French Quarter and so forth.

The Radisson on Canal offers

• Nightly Rate: $99 single $119 double occupancy
• Hospitality Suite: $200/entire stay
• Prom: $300 (may be waived with catering)
• Parking: $28/day valet
• Free shuttle to French Quarter

Which allows me to estimate the total for 20 dbl occupancy rooms & 50 attending prom to be $2,880+food/beverage

Unfortunately, the other bids have not been quite so comprehensive, but several include complimentary hospitality suites. I have the information if people want to see all of it.

Heather mentioned many fun things to do in this post. New Orleans is a fairly inexpensive place to have a good time. To wit (the following courtesy of Heather).

Getting around

Airport shuttle- $10 One way to CBD, Quarter, and St. Charles

Busses and streetcars- visitors pass for $4 (one day) $8 (three days)

Local drink prices range from cheap ($1.50-$3.00) - Places like Goldmine, and the Funky Pirates 3 for 1 happy hour, to middle $2.00-$5.00 which is most places. Hurricaines are going to be more 'spensive at places like Pat O's, but overall NO nightlife=cheapness.

Food prices- Some pricy choices like Commander's Palace, Emerils etc. Middle places like K-Paul's and Antioines- but also plenty of under $9 for an entree at dinner places too like The Gumbo Shop, Masepro's, Cafe Du Monde, and Arnaud's cheaper sister- Remoulade

There's other stuff besides eating and drinking- like the galleries on Julia, and the bookstore in Faulkner's old place, hell just wandering the Quarter, which don't cost anything. Or there's riverboat rides, the aquarium, and all manner of tours that groups of us can arrange.

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The Radisson on Canal

This is walking distance to both the French Quarter and the Warehouse District.

Arnaud's cheaper sister- Remoulade

I like Remoulade a lot.

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The Radisson? At the freeway and Canal? I suppose it's walking distance, but it won't be pleasant that time of year, in my opinion.

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It's pretty much next to the interstate, yeah.

There's a streetcar line on Canal, now, though, so walking is not strictly necessary to get to teh French Quarter. Also, free shuttle.

There are a bunch of places in the French Quarter and scattered around nearby that are in that $109 range. I don't have prices for Prom space from them, though.

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Crap, you're right. I was thinking it was at the river end of Canal.

t brightly Walking distance to the Superdome t /brightly

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I was gonna say, streetcar's pretty easy transport and goes pretty much everywhere you'd want to be- from downtown anyway.

Leaving work. Will talk later.

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and the bookstore in Faulkner's old place

NO just jumped into the lead for me.

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& a gorgeous Prom room

loving this phrase

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JZ, the package arrived.

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