Jeffrey Steele, a renowned country music singer, songwriter and one of NBC’s "Nashville Star" judges, will perform at ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership’s 9th Annual Summit Awards Dinner, September 23 at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. Steele is one of the most successful artists of contemporary country music. During his 25-year career he has recorded more than 450 cuts, released more than 85 singles and sold more than 50 million records. The multiple Grammy-nominated artist, Steele has received more than 60 achievement honors, twice been named Songwriter of the year by BMI and three times by the Nashville Songwriters Association International. Steele has recently released a new album, Countrypolitan, and is currently one of the judges of NBC’s "Nashville Star," a reality TV show for aspiring musicians. Held every fall, the Summit Awards Dinner honors recipients of the Associations Advance America Awards, ASAE & The Center’s highest honor recognizing the very best association initiatives in areas like public education and information, business and social innovation, citizenship and democracy enhancement, and civic and community volunteerism. This year’s Summit Awards entertainment is again provided by the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau and Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. "We are honored to once again have the opportunity to partner with ASAE & The Center to be a part of this outstanding event," said Butch Spyridon, president of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Jeffrey Steele is one of Nashville’s finest and most talented performers and will truly represent all that Nashville has to offer."

The BOK Center, located in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma and managed by SMG, is one of the latest, state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venues in the country. The arena seats more than 18,000 guests and plans to host 90 to 100 shows annually. The venue officially cut the ribbon on August 30th with a community open house with over 25,000 people in attendance. (left to right) Garth Brooks, Mayor Kathy Taylor and Architect/Designer, Cesar Pelli.

A Message from the New Orleans Convention Center

The New Orleans Morial Convention Center has weathered the recent storm event with minor damage. All major systems are operable and the center is functioning at 100% capacity. All major systems of the city are expected to be functioning within the next 72 hours including the airport.

We look forward to welcoming the American Institute of Architects - Louisiana Chapter on September 18-19, and a concert by the band Chicago on September 21 as scheduled, as well as a number of events already scheduled throughout the coming months.

Planning for storm events by and among numerous agencies, local, state and federal, were implemented with great success. The reinforced levee system held without any breeches. Some levees were overtopped but no serious street flooding was experienced.

Please do not hesitate to call 504-582-3023 with any questions or visit our website at www.mccno.com for updates.

Thank you for your continued support and interest.

**About the New Orleans Morial Convention Center**

With 1.1 million square feet of contiguous exhibit space, an award winning staff and first class amenities, the New Orleans Morial Convention Center (NOMCC) is the sixth largest convention center in the nation and a consistent Top 10 host of the largest number of conventions and tradeshows annually.

Tampa, Florida will have a new conference center, scheduled to be completed in September, 2009. The 408-room Mainsail Suites Hotel & Conference Center set a plan in motion to add 17,500 square feet of meeting and conference space to the already spacious condo-style hotel. This addition will allow corporations and associations to use Mainsail for larger group meetings, conferences and events at the property, located in Tampa's West Shore district. The new $10 million meeting complex will feature 16-foot ceilings, 6,500 square feet of ballroom space, new audio-visual projection equipment, a 4,500-square-foot patio and a gazebo. With the new space, hotel management plans to host conferences, meetings, weddings and parties, all under one roof. Mainsail Suites Hotel was originally designed as an extended stay training center for Price Waterhouse executives. Each of the condominium-style rooms include full kitchens, living areas and separate bedrooms. Corporations can choose to place two associates in a large, two-bedroom suite. Located within minutes of the Tampa International Airport, Mainsail Suites Hotel is also in the perfect location for out-of-town business travelers and meeting attendees. The hotel is also close to the West Shore district's stunning malls, massive movie theaters and a wide variety of eateries, offering meeting attendees an array of activities to enjoy nearby.

The 150th anniversary of the receipt of the first Trans-Atlantic cable, sent from Queen Victoria of Great Britain to President James Buchanan, was celebrated in the lobby of Bedford Springs Resort on Sunday, August 17. Widely hailed as a phenomenal transatlantic engineering feat, the Atlantic Telegraph Cable took years to develop, decades to refine and required international cooperation and financial support. The first electric message sent by Queen Victoria is the first ever to traverse the treacherous North Atlantic through hundreds of miles of small metal cable painstakingly laid on the deep sea floor. Bedford Springs Resort, which re-opened as a golf resort, spa and conference in July 2007 following a $120-million restoration and expansion, was the "summer White House" during the Buchanan administration. Donald Walters, a docent from Wheatland (Buchanan's home and museum) in Lancaster, Pennsylvania played the role of President Buchanan.