THE Hyatt Regency New Orleans is beginning renovation to repair the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. The hotel has been closed since the August 2005 storm.

The hotel was purchased in 2007 by Poydras Properties Hotel Holdings for $32m. The $275m renovation will repair the 1,195 rooms and 50 suites, as well as add 200,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space, restaurants and bars.

Renovation is expected to be completed in the fall of 2011 – in time for the college football national championship game in January and the Final Four in February.