Preliminary Notification

I am in the process of finalizing arrangements with the Higgins Hotel (higginshotelnola.com) and World War II Museum (nationalww2museum.org) for a Class Mini in New Orleans, May 26-28 (check out 29^th). The hotel is scheduled to open next month. I hope to have a reunion website established in late November for registration, etc. So far, the following has been established:

·         Room rate for the hotel will be $159.00 plus tax per night, single or double occupancy. With tax the amount would be $185.76. I encourage you to check the hotel website. It is art deco style and is immediately across the street from the museum. If you wish to check in before May 25^th or remain after check out on the 29^th, the rate will be the same.

·         Registration will be in Benny Havens beginning at 1000 on the 26^th. Benny Havens will either be on the 2nd floor in the meeting room area or on the 8^th floor (Presidential Suite). I will not be able to view the options until mid- November.

·         We will have a reception on the 26^th either at the hotel or museum (currently being negotiated). If at the museum it will involve a showing of the movie Beyond All Boundaries (about 1700) followed by a reception.

·         A two day pass for the museum will be $30 per person (normally $30+ per day). The cost of the Beyond all Boundaries ticket will be $7 per person (normally $14). Please visit the museum website. Some may want to lunch in the Stage Door Canteen on the 27^th and see the “Elvis” show. More on that when the Mini website is available.

·         A Class Dinner will be scheduled at the hotel on the evening of the 28^th. A Memorial Service will be scheduled earlier on the 28^th at either the Museum or a church about 4 blocks from the hotel.

I hope this preliminary info will be helpful in your planning process. I will advise when you are able to make reservations at the hotel and the mini website is available. The hotel has 263 rooms and will be in high demand. I encourage you to make your reservations as soon as you are able after the green light is given.

As those of you who attended the 2007 Mini may recall, there is a lot to do in New Orleans and the mini website will contain a number of options. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me at sand2988@bellsouth.net or phone 504 866 1672 home (yes, we still have a landline), 504 638 3658 mobile.

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The room rate for the hotel is $159 + tax per night single or double occupancy, with tax the bill will be approximately $186. Currently, activities will be scheduled to allow arrival on the morning of the 26^th and departure on the 29^th. However, for those arriving early or staying later, the rate will not change. A Benny Havens room will be provided ($100 per day) including water, ice, glasses, tables, chairs and will be serviced daily. We are allowed to bring our own "packaged" snacks to the room. Barbara and I have not made a list, but we plan to acquire most of the snacks from Costco. Any wine/beer/etc we would like to acquire from the hotel would be at a 50% reduced rate. The hotel is not yet open, but we have seen to room mock ups and they are superb. The hotel will open in October. Please check the web site to get a good idea of the facilities. Obviously, the entire facility has a military theme.

We have not developed a notional schedule as yet, but would plan to have registration and Benny Havens open by 1000 on the 26^th with a welcome reception at 1800 or so. We have not decided if the reception will be at the hotel or the WW2 Museum. I am working with Dr Rob Citino (senior historian (taught a year at West Point and two years at the AWC) to develop some special opportunities for the class. Current plans have a Memorial Service on the 28^th followed by a closing dinner that evening. If you wish to have a class meeting, let me know and we will work that in.

Obviously, a number of the activities will relate to the Museum (www.nationalww2museum.org). It is a must see for all and will probably begin on the 27^th with a welcome from either Dr Citino or the Museum CEO followed by a showing of the movie (50 minutes), Beyond All Boundaries, narrated by Tom Hanks. One of the available is to have all charges for activities at the Museum to be charged to the individual room (of those who participate).

The hotel is directly across the street from the museum and there are a number of good restaurants within walking distance. Discount tickets to other New Orleans attractions will be available through the hotel. A Hop on Hop off city tour bus stops at the hotel. For the 2007 New Orleans Mini, we set up a website that provided for registration as well as being an information portal. I can do the same for this mini, unless there is a desire by the Excom to use the AOG.

 From Tom Sands