Drew could fill you in better than me since he was there. I heard stories of hookers working the “social club” part. OTOH, I heard stories of hookers there on “pro night” this year!
Well at least they followed the rules. 
Missed that this year, but saw them at one evening session in Oakland.
The New Orleans Convention center is enormous. I was there in 2009 for a food industry conference with 50,000+ attendees and they used up the whole thing. AHA would only need half the hall or less. I know they can divide it up for multiple events, but they may charge a premium for that, which could stretch a non-profit like the AHA. I’d almost argue the NOCC might be too big. There may be a better venue in New Orleans for a crowd of 6000, rather than 50,000.
Looking at google maps there’s several hotels within 2-3 blocks of the Center, certainly within walking distance. When I was there I stayed right on Canal Street which is less than a mile, and the border between the Convention District and French Quarter. It was walkable, but it was hot as blazes and I was wearing a suit and tie (job interview). In tshirt and shorts it would have been fine.
Prostitutes are a fact of conventions.
I vote for Nashville or St. Louis over New Orleans or Las Vegas. NOLA and Vegas are nasty.
Just to add some data, the largest NHC was Philly with ~3500.
Those of you that attended the 2017 HBC should have received an email message inviting you to fill out a conference survey. There is a section in the survey where you can rate the various potential future conference venues. Be sure to complete the survey since it could influence where those future conferences will occur. Unfortunately, economic and legal factors are more likely to guide those decisions, but your input is still needed.
The state of Ohio is a case in point regarding legal issues. AHA and Ohio brewers are working to change laws that currently impede the citing of a conference anywhere in OH. AHA is spending their money and resources to get this done and it represents another reason why your membership in AHA is important and valued.
That big conference turnout in Philly was the result of very pent-up demand and the brewers in the northeast came through! Hopefully we can see another good turnout next year when we visit another great beer city.
What was the turnout this year?
Gary G said 2437 on Tuesday. Could have gone up a few with last minute purchases. Still the 5th largest conference, and 1100 more than the last time in Minneapolis.
I expect Portland OR to be well attended.
I guess it wasn’t my imagination…it did seem lighter this year than in the past.
I miss the banquet. Not so much for the food, but the hanging out in line and sharing beers ahead of time and then the passing bottles around yours and neighbor’s tables. Was this a one time thing, or is the banquet dead forever? If this is the format going forward, I’m going to start booking my flights home on Saturday after the awards ceremony. Sure would beat getting up at 4am like I did this year. 
The knockout party was a waste of time in my opinion. Couldn’t understand anything being announced and I was right up by the stage. I would have preferred a social club setting with all the leftover comp bottles rather than having them poured by staff, but maybe that was a legal thing. An so much Whalezbrah! left over.
I get why the banquet didn’t happen, but let me be just the first to b**** about climbing over a bunch of fellow overweight dudes and their 600 coolers in order to make it to an aisle to pick up a medal. At least it wasn’t full and people didn’t have to sit in the middle of rows.
I didn’t mind the Knockout Party but I don’t know why they kept winners out of it at first. Eventually most of us just walked in.
No Banquet, no Banquet line.
I didn’t like the line. 8)
When I first heard about the new format, I didn’t think I was gonna like it. I was wrong. I far preferred it to the awards banquet. Yes, the sound was terrible, but that’s what you get when you put a line array PA into a room like that. It won’t necessarily be the case in other venues.
I liked the set up this time better than the banquet. With the banquet, it always ran late because the dinner took too much time to serve everyone and the food was never very good the times I have gone (not a knock on the chef, it’s just hard to get a good meal out to that many people). Maybe a hybrid where there are tables like the banquet so people can get sit at them and socialize before and after the ceremony? Could even have a knock out party in the same room.
Convention Center is more than big enough. It will host multiple conventions in a lot of cases, since few are big enough to require the whole thing. Something like NHC would only require 1 or 2 of the halls. Comic-Con can pull as many as 10,000 and takes up 2 usually (I think there are 6 halls). There are quite a few hotels within in easy walking distance. And a LOT within walking distance.
Denny,
Will you be doing any sessions in 2018?
I’m pretty sure that I’ll be able to attend and definitely want in on whatever you present.
Thank you for your constructive criticism.
At this point, Drew, Marshall, Malcolm, and I are planning on submitting a proposal again next year.
Whoops. Sorry didn’t mean to insult.