2009 Year-in-Review
Greater New Orleans, Inc. capped off a successful 2009 and is moving forward with an ambitious agenda for 2010.
Working with its parish partners in 2009, GNO, Inc. achieved important wins in business development, policy, and communications, creating jobs, revenue, and an enhanced image for the region. Some of the organization’s 2009 highlights include:
- 818 jobs secured for the region, both new and retained, with a combined economic value in excess of $25 million
- A 75% success rate in passing its agenda for the 2009 legislative session, including passage of a best-in-class 35% digital media tax credit and the exclusion of a capital gains tax
- Establishing the first post-Katrina international flight for Louis Armstrong International Airport to Mexico City and on-going service to Honduras
- Opening of the I.P. (Intellectual Property) Building in New Orleans’ warehouse district in partnership with Idea Village. The converted office now serves as an entrepreneurial hub for creative and digital media companies, and has grown to ten tenants
- Hosting multiple groups of top-tier site selectors, to introduce them to regional opportunities resulting in both viable propsects and positive press
- Over 200 media pieces, including articles in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Economist, and Entrepreneur Magazine
“The progress of 2009 is not only an encouraging harbinger of our potential for the future, but also a testament to the unprecedented cooperation between state, regional and parish-level partners for economic development,” says GNO, Inc. President and CEO Michael Hecht.
The Greater New Orleans region experienced positive growth in 2009 despite the national recession, enjoying unemployment rates consistently three points below the U.S. average. With the continued efforts of GNO, Inc. in 2010, the Greater New Orleans region is poised to build upon its growth in the coming year, and further solidify its position as one of the best places in the country to both grow a business and raise a family.
To view a full report of the accomplishments of Greater New Orleans, Inc. in 2009, please see the presentation below.
