The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center board moved forward Thursday on its long-planned $575 million “headquarters” hotel, approving a deal with operator Omni Hotels & Resorts and its architect’s plans to build a 300-foot tower in the Warehouse District.

If  approved by the city, the 1,000-room hotel would be the largest to be built in New Orleans in nearly half-a-century. The convention center’s leaders have called for years for a large new hotel attached to the center, which they’ve argued is necessary to compete with cities like Austin, Nashville and Orlando.

During its monthly meeting Thursday, the 13-member board voted unanimously to enter into binding agreements with Omni Hotels’ parent company to develop the hotel.

“This is a great day; we need this,” said board chair Russell Allen after the vote.

The center already has purchased The Sugar Mill site on Convention Center Boulevard and plans to start construction there in early 2026 if city and other permitting goes according to plan. The hotel would be completed in 2029.

The proposal has faced some opposition from some Warehouse District neighbors, who gathered dozens of signatures when it was first outlined at community meetings last autumn. They’ve argued that the size of the building would destroy the character of the historic neighborhood and said they are opposed to the convention center’s plan to acquire the adjacent Mississippi River Heritage Park from the city and incorporate it into the hotel.

Gov. Jeff Landry, who last year installed Allen, a Texas businessman and major Republican Party donor, as chairman of the convention center board, welcomed Thursday’s move.

“This hotel will draw new meetings, conventions and business travelers to the region, benefiting hospitality-related businesses and creating more jobs for residents,” Landry said in a prepared statement. “It’s a gamechanger for the tourism industry that powers New Orleans, and I look forward to seeing Omni New Orleans become a landmark for hospitality and a symbol of growth in Louisiana.”

The agreement approved on Thursday would require the convention center to pay for about $70 million of the total construction costs, in addition to the cost of buying the Sugar Mill and Mississippi River Heritage Park. There is also a package of city and state tax breaks to help finance the deal.

At the board meeting on Thursday, the convention center’s acting CEO, Alita Capparotta, presented a consultant’s report showing that the new hotel would bring in additional meetings and add 1,400 new permanent jobs, as well as producing an additional $15 million a year in local and state tax revenue.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.