Conference 2006 Location:

The INA board of directors and the INA Conference Committee chose New Orleans last May as the destination for INA's 2006 Annual Conference. It was announced at this year’s conference in Las Vegas last May. Conference attendees expressed how excited they were about going to New Orleans. Our committee found a great hotel and we are really pleased about all the things that New Orleans offers regarding entertainment and group functions. The question is; will New Orleans be all clean and shiny and ready for us by May?

Updates:

• Our hotel, Chatueau Sonesta, did not flood.
• The French Quarter, which is the area where we will spend our time throughout the conference weekend, did not flood. Thus, we know that everything we will be exposed to will be up and running.
• The airport was not affected and commercial flights began landing there again in mid-September.
• The areas that we will be traveling to and from have not been affected.
• The EPA has tested the air quality and found it to be safe as early as mid-September. Water quality will be continually tested and the findings will be made public.
• Many New Orleans residents began returning to their city in September and will continue to do so as employers call them back to work.
• The conference is scheduled over 8 months after the flooding occurred and the clean up is moving along quickly.

The INA board met in September and discussed whether we should cancel the conference in New Orleans. We concluded our discussion by deciding to research other cities as a back up plan and not make a final decision until December, 2005 as to where the conference will be held. The membership will be notified if there is a change in cities and the conference page will be updated.