Hurricane Helene affect on meetings and events infrastructure
Hurricane Helene tore through the Southeast last month, leaving a trail of destruction that impacted not only homes and businesses but also the region’s vital tourism and events infrastructure. From Florida to North Carolina, popular attractions, convention centers, and hotels faced closures, cancellations, and costly repairs.
Florida
Helene’s landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region brought significant damage to Tallahassee, despite the city being spared a direct hit.
Tallahassee
Attractions: Mission San Luis, Goodwood Museum & Gardens, Tallahassee Museum, and Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park all suffered flooding and wind damage, leading to temporary closures.
Convention Center: The Donald L. Tucker Civic Center experienced minor water damage and power outages.
Hotels: Numerous hotels, including Hotel Duval, Four Points by Sheraton Tallahassee Downtown, Courtyard by Marriott Tallahassee Capitol, and Residence Inn Tallahassee Universities at the Capitol, reported flooding and power outages.
Tampa Bay
The Tampa Bay area also felt Helene’s wrath, with storm surge causing flooding and damage to coastal properties.
Attractions: While the Florida Aquarium and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay closed briefly, they reopened quickly with minimal damage.
Convention Center: The Tampa Convention Center suffered minor water damage.
Hotels: Hotels along Clearwater Beach and St. Pete Beach, including the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa, Sandpearl Resort, Opal Sands Resort, TradeWinds Island Grand Resort, and Don CeSar Hotel, faced flooding and water damage.
Georgia
Helene brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to Georgia, impacting tourism in Valdosta and coastal areas.
Valdosta
Attractions: The Wild Adventures Theme Park suffered significant damage and closed for an extended period due to flooding.
Hotels: Hotels near the Withlacoochee River experienced flooding.
Coastal Georgia
Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island faced beach erosion and localized flooding, potentially impacting beachfront properties.
North Carolina
Western North Carolina bore the brunt of Helene’s fury, with catastrophic flooding and landslides causing widespread damage.
Attractions: The Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Biltmore Estate, Chimney Rock State Park, and Sliding Rock all faced closures and significant damage.
Convention Center: Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort Convention Center experienced water damage and event cancellations.
Hotels: The Omni Grove Park Inn and Grand Bohemian Hotel in Asheville suffered flooding and temporary closures.
The economic impact of Helene on the tourism and events industry is still being assessed, but the storm serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of these sectors to extreme weather events. As the Southeast recovers and rebuilds, businesses and communities will need to prioritize resilience and preparedness to mitigate the impact of future storms.
For the most up-to-date information on the recovery efforts and the status of specific businesses, you can refer to the following resources:
Florida Division of Emergency Management: www.floridadisaster.org
Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency: gema.georgia.gov
North Carolina Department of Public Safety: www.ncdps.gov
South Carolina Emergency Management Division: www.scemd.org
Any thoughts, opinions, or news? Please share them with me at vince@meetingsevents.com.
Photo by CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
