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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 5, 2026
New Orleans City Council Approves Council Vice President Willard's Resolution Advancing $625 Million Omni Headquarters Hotel Project
NEW ORLEANS, LA — Today, the New Orleans City Council approved a resolution sponsored by Council Vice President Matthew Willard authorizing a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement for the proposed $625 million Omni Headquarters Hotel. This approval secures a transformative development that will drive major job creation, strengthen the city's hospitality sector, and fuel long-term economic growth.
The proposed development will include 1,000+ guest rooms and approximately 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space, and it is expected to attract new convention and leisure travelers to New Orleans. The PILOT agreement establishes a formula for payments from the new development to the Orleans Parish School Board and the city’s other taxing authorities, with baseline employment requirements designed to ensure the investment contributes to the local economy.
“The new Omni Hotel is a major economic win for New Orleans, creating roughly 2,500 construction jobs and 1,400 permanent jobs,” said Council Vice President Matthew Willard. “It will generate millions in city sales tax revenue, millions in annual payments in lieu of property taxes, millions in upfront permit fees, and millions more from the sale of one block of John Churchill Chase Street. The new hotel at the Convention Center will transform property that currently generates no city revenue into a lasting economic asset for New Orleans.”
"The Omni Hotel is a truly catalytic project that this administration continues to champion, and today's vote by the Council is a major development milestone,” said Jeffrey Schwartz, Deputy Mayor for Community and Economic Development. “This $625 million project will have outsized benefits for our city, creating thousands of jobs for New Orleanians, generating $8 million in new, annual local tax revenues, and ensuring that New Orleans remains one of the premier destinations for conventions and major events in the country. I want to express my gratitude to the leadership of the Council, the Convention Center, and Omni for their collaboration with the city to ensure that the Headquarters Hotel project will be a true win-win for our city, region, and state."
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Contact:
Courtney Fleming
Chief of Staff
Council Vice President Matthew Willard
Courtney.Fleming@nola.gov
504.658.1060
 New Orleans City Council
The New Orleans City Council is the legislative branch of the New Orleans city government. The Council considers and enacts all local laws that govern the City of New Orleans. The Council also approves the operating and capital budgets for the City, as recommended by the mayor, and continually monitors revenues and expenditures for local government operations. The City Council is also the regulatory body for public utilities. It also reviews and has the final say on many land use and zoning matters, as well as considers major economic development projects for the City. As a Board of Review for Orleans Parish, the Council examines appeals of property tax assessments for real estate taxes and certifies tax rolls to the Louisiana Tax Commission. Other responsibilities of the Council include overseeing the operation of the public access television in Orleans Parish. Streaming video and video archives of the City Council's Regular and Committee meetings can be found on the City Council website.
The City Council is comprised of five districts and Councilmembers-at-large: Council President and Councilmember-at-Large JP Morrell; Council Vice President and Councilmember-At-Large Matthew Willard; District "A" Councilmember Aimee McCarron; District "B" Councilmember Lesli D. Harris; District "C" Councilmember Freddie King III; District "D" Councilmember Eugene J. Green, Jr.; and District "E" Councilmember Jason Hughes.
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