BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Baton Rouge Regional Chamber, Baton Rouge Regional Foundation, and Visit Baton Rouge announce joint support for a new $300 million entertainment and sports center proposed by the Tiger Athletic Foundation did. They also support the renovation of Raising Cane's River Center.
An ordinance proposed to the East Baton Rouge Parish Metropolitan Council would support TAF's construction of the arena, according to a news release. The arena was scheduled to host LSU sporting events. Music and entertainment events will also be held.
“The proposed new LSU Arena will not only attract talent, but also enhance the quality of the place for current residents,” said Ann Trappie, interim president and CEO of BRAC. “This will be a historic victory for our community.”
The ordinance states that the Metro Council will agree to restrict some live music and entertainment because competing facilities in the area will be forced to cancel the TAF project. If LSU Arena is built, they would be limited to city-parish property, which includes River Center.
Also, the mayor and president can find ways to free up more space for the convention. A main hotel could also be built near River Center, the press release states.
“This ordinance speaks to the type of collaborative planning that will propel Baton Rouge into the future,” said Chris Meyer, president and CEO of BRAF. “By coordinating activities between planned venues on LSU’s campus and upcoming activities at the River Center, along Nicholson Drive, and other venues in the Capital Region, our city will be able to make life even better.” Baton Rouge is now poised to up its game with thoughtful, collaborative planning like this.”
A public hearing on the proposed event venue ordinance is scheduled for March 13th.
According to BRAC, Baton Rouge's population is more likely to attend concerts and events than other similar areas.
“While the average age in the region is low, incomes for young professionals in the region are high, and the region is home to more than 60,000 college students, it still underperforms in large-scale entertainment,” the press release states.
BRAC's study also found that River Center would benefit from renovations.
“Additionally, we cannot wait to reimagine River Center, another important community asset,” Trappie said. “If we want downtown to grow, we must move together with a grander vision and detailed plan to strengthen the River Center.”
“This concerted investment in multiple event facilities around Baton Rouge will not only better utilize regional assets, but will also create a world-class, attractive venue for convention, meeting, concert, and sporting event planners.” said Jill Kidder, President and CEO of Visit Baton Rouge. . “By working with community leaders and economic development partners, we create a ‘rising tide’ in our city, and that progress benefits everyone.”