October 11, 2005

Dear WTC Member:

We hope you and your family came through Hurricane Katrina safely and with minimal loss to your home and business, and we wish you well in your rebuilding efforts, both personally and professionally.

I am pleased to inform you that the World Trade Center is now back in operation in all departments. The building had many broken windows resulting in water damage, but suffered no flooding. Our building department personnel did yeoman's work -- often at great personal sacrifice -- in quickly making the building water-tight and starting the necessary repair work and cleaning to make it operational.

The Plimsoll Club sustained some damage, but it too is well into the cleaning and repair process thanks to the building crew and also the exceptional efforts of the Plimsoll Club staff who have been able to return to New Orleans.

The Administrative and Executive Offices of the WTC on the 29th floor had only minimal damage.

The result of the above actions is that most of the WTC staff in all departments are back at work and the building will be officially reopened with all services tomorrow, October 12, making it one of the first high-rises in the Central Business District to do so.

We also will reopen the Plimsoll Club tomorrow on a limited basis, starting with the daily luncheon buffet. We look forward to seeing you there soon (note: the dress code is being relaxed until further notice).  We expect the Club to return to its normal banquet operation by Thanksgiving.  Regarding parking, although the WTC parking garage on Poydras Street next to the Hilton Hotel is not yet open to the public, WTC members and their guests dining in the Plimsoll Club can park in the WTC garage and have their parking tickets validated at the Club, as in the past.

By pure coincidence, the fact that the building, the Club, and the WTC's trade programs and services are reopening tomorrow on the date that Christopher Columbus discovered America represents a noteworthy symbolic start for the renewed active role that the WTC expects to play in the overall efforts to help rebuild the region's infrastructure and economy. We will be working, as always, with the relevant U.S. government agencies, the city, state, port, airport, and other economic development organizations.

We in turn need to count on your vital support to help us help make New Orleans once again a great place to live, work, and visit.

You will be hearing more from the WTC on a regular basis, and in the meantime we welcome your input on how the WTC might be of service to you and your business.

Charles W. Nelson
President