"Interstate has a very positive track record in managing bothluxury properties and convention hotels," says Mike Barnello, chiefoperating officer of LaSalle Hotel Properties. "With more than 400properties in their management portfolio, Interstate brings anumber of unique operating advantages to the table, includingeconomies of scale, proprietary state-of-the-art support systems,and the ability to cross-sell our property with otherInterstate-managed hotels in the French Quarter, in the region andin our feeder markets."

"Full-service luxury hotels with significant conventionfacilities, like the New Orleans Grande Hotel, have uniqueoperating requirements, particularly in the areas of servicestandards and delivery, areas where we have built a solidreputation," says John Emery, president and chief Interstate Hotels& Resortsoperating officer of Interstate. "Our national salesforce also will play a significant role in helping to attractconvention and meeting business to the hotel and the city. We lookforward to further expanding our relationship with LaSalle Hotelsin the future."

Located at 614 Canal St., the property borders the financialdistrict and the French Quarter and features 19,000 sf of meetingspace, including a 6,200-sf ballroom.