Microsoft says no to New Orleans

Microsoft was slated to hold three of its biggest conferences in 2007 in New Orleans. But now those plans are off.

Microsoft is citing "lack of flights" for its decision to move the venues for the company's annual WIndows Hardware Engineering Conference (May 22-24), TechEd 2007 (June 3-8) and MGX internal sales meeting (usually held in late July) from New Orleans to other, as-yet-undisclosed sites, a company spokesman confirmed on Octoer 9. An estimated 14,000 people attend TechEd U.S. and MGX; another 4,000 typically attend WinHEC.

"Microsoft regrets the necessity to postpone the conferences scheduled for New Orleans , but felt it was the prudent course of action because of the limited service of airlines to New Orleans . Microsoft looks forward to returning to New Orleans as soon as possible."

In thinking ahead about my next-year travel plans, I wasn't worrying so much about flights as I was about going back to the New Orleans convention center (renovations or no renovations). But I was jazzed about being able to make another small contribution toward boosting the local economy.

So where will we Microsoft conference junkies be heading instead? I vote anywhere but Vegas!

(Thanks to Steven Bink for the original New Orleans link.)