New Orleans last week welcomed its largest convention since Hurricane Katrina, according to the Associated Press, which reported that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was expecting 38,000 attendees at its 2009 Youth Gathering July 22 through 26.
"In terms of people, this is the biggest," Mary Beth Romig of the New Olreans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau told the AP. "Previously I think 25,000 was the most."
The convention, which featured the theme "Jesus, Justice and Jazz," was held at the Louisiana Superdome and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
According to Mavis Early, executive director of the Greater New Orleans Hotel and Lodging Association, most of the city's 34,000 hotel rooms were booked. "Hotel occupancy is traditionally low in New Orleans in July," she told the AP. "So this is a very welcome group."
Unfortunately, because it was religious in nature—and because 26,500 of its attendees were teenagers—the convention was not expected to have as large an economic impact as its size would suggest. Instead of visiting Bourbon Street, for instance, convention delegates participated in evening events at the Superdome, such as tailgating, music, speakers and group devotions.
"We don't have a predictor on this group," Romig said prior to the meeting. "They are probably not going to be filling the restaurants and clubs."
The group was, however, expected to make a sizable contribution to the city in the way of community service, as it targeted over 200 areas in which its members would work, including 80 different schools, Habitat for Humanity, parks, churches and neighborhoods.
"Our people are required to do service and they want to do it," Scott Quillin, who organized the group's community service projects, told the AP. "We had over 20,000 people sign up right away for service projects."