Ascension Parish - Baton Rouge Area Chamber

whoweare
A movie producer scouts
locations for Bonnie and Clyde.
Ascension Parish
New growth, new directions
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
PA R I S H E S O F T H E C A P ITA L R E G I O N
courtesy cypress moon productions, inc.
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Key metrics
Land area (square miles).................... 292
Population (2007 estimate)......... 97,952
Population growth (2000-2007)... 27.9%
Average age........................................... 33
Business establishments.................5,752
Employees (daytime population)29,567
Average annual pay.....................$33,651
Top employers
Turner Industries............................ 1,500
BASF Corp....................................... 1,000
Rubicon Inc.........................................600
Motiva................................................. 543
Shell Chemical LP...............................500
Oxychem............................................. 400
St. Elizabeth’s Hospital......................393
Honeywell International Inc............. 392
EATEL.................................................300
Chemtura............................................280
On the Web
www.ascensionparish.net
www.ascensionedc.com
www.ascensiontourism.com
www.gonzalesla.com
www.donaldsonvillecoc.org
Sources: Ascension Economic Development Corp. and Baton Rouge Area Chamber
A
scension Parish, 300 square miles of Cajun country that lie
between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, has long been home
to major industrial activity along the Mississippi River. As
its economy diversifies, it has also become a destination for the film
production industry, attracting pictures such as The Curious Case
of Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt and Cate
Blanchett, and The Story of Bonnie and Clyde,
set to begin filming in the towns of
Sorrento and Donaldsonville in 2008.
The parish seat is the town of
Gonzales, “Jambalaya Capital
of the World” and home to
Tanger Outlet Center, featuring
more than 50 brand-name
manufacturers and retailers,
and Lamar-Dixon Expo
Center, a multi-use facility that
attracts a diverse entertainment
community and houses the Louisiana
co
urt
esy
Edible Creations Center, where cheflouisi
er
ana edible creations cent
entrepreneurs produce and package their
foods for sale in area markets.
Chefs produce and package
In 2007, nearly $500,000
foods at the Louisiana Edible
was committed toward economic
Creations Center.
development in Ascension through
public, private and city grants. One of the most significant economic
development projects is the recent certification of Pointe Sunshine,
the only deepwater port megasite in the country ready for immediate
industrial use and development.
With the draw of booming residential developments and one of
the top 10 public school systems in the state, the parish is projected
to have a population increase of 10,000, up to 98,628, by the year
2010, making it one of the nation’s fastest-growing counties.
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Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
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15
whoweare
Built in 1836,
Milbank House in
Jackson is now a
bed and breakfast.
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
16
A rural treasure
emily whitaker
J
ust 40 minutes north
of Baton Rouge is a
quaint little town
amid the rolling hills of
East Feliciana Parish,
where art, architecture and
history make the trip to
Clinton one worth taking.
Greek Revival, Victorian and Carolina I-style
architecture and the
antebellum South are
all showcased among the 36
Harvesting grapes
historic homes and buildings in this small but
De Sue Winery ne at Casa
ar Clinton.
vibrant, pedestrian-friendly community, where
tours of old homes are always available. In addition to
hosting fun festivals of art, literature, music and history, Clinton hosts the
popular Clinton Community Market on the first Saturday of each month.
Nearby Jackson is the site of the annual Jackson Assembly Antiques
Show and Sale, now in its 43rd year. The Assembly lasts three days and features antiques and collectibles of 20 select dealers from seven states, plus a
tour of a select historic home fully furnished with antiques.
Additional attractions in East Feliciana Parish are the Casa De Sue Winery and Vineyard, the Feliciana Cellars Winery and the historic East Feliciana
Courthouse, the oldest operational courthouse in Louisiana. With much to
offer business and industry as well, East Feliciana is the perfect marriage
between the relaxed, “laid back” environment of rural living and access to
the technology and transportation infrastructure needed for business.
Key Metrics
courtesy casa de sue
winery
PA R I S H E S O F T H E C A P ITA L R E G I O N
East Feliciana Parish
Land area (square miles)...................... 456
Population (2007 estimate)............ 21,203
Population growth (2000-2007)...... -0.7%
Median age.......................................... 37.4
Business establishments...................... 488
Employees (daytime population)..... 4,244
Average annual pay....................... $25,109
Top Employers
East Louisiana State Hospital............1,500
Villa Feliciana Hospital........................ 600
Dixon Correctional Institute................ 541
Veterans Affairs Department................161
Grace Health & Rehab Center...............140
Feliciana Home Health.........................120
Anvil Attachments................................. 90
On the Web
www.efpedd.com
www.jacksonla.com
www.clintonla.com
www.felicianatourism.org
Source: Baton Rouge Area Chamber
Work hard.
Play hard.
For the best in business
BusinessReport.com
225.928.1700
For the best of Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
225BatonRouge.com
225.214.5225
17
whoweare
Iberville Parish is a sportsman’s paradise, from the
rich ecosystem of the Atchafalaya Basin to the newly
developed waterfront park on Bayou Plaquemine.
U.S.A.C.E.
iberville Parish
Sportsman’s paradise, hub of industry
18
I
berville Parish may be best known as an outdoorsman’s haven, with its
ample opportunities for hunting and fishing enthusiasts, but much of
its recent economic growth is due to the vested interest major industrial
corporations have in obtaining and retaining land and facilities in the 653square-mile area of the parish. Iberville has valuable and necessary elements
for industry, such as abundant raw materials, Mississippi River access, railroad access, a capable workforce and available land.
Texas-based Shintech is building a $1 billion PVC manufacturing complex
just south of Plaquemine; upon its completion in early 2009, the facility will
employ 300 people. Dow Chemical, one of the region’s largest employers, and
Pioneer Chlor Alkali Co. in St. Gabriel also have expansions in the works.
The growing city of St. Gabriel sits on the edge of Baton Rouge’s city limits and has become a recent target for development of housing communities
along Highway 30. This city on the move is minutes away from the heart of
the Capital City, and is an ideal home for those who wish to live in the big
city by day and a more peaceful country atmosphere by night.
The Iberville Parish School Board opened the 2007-2008 school year by
welcoming in a new superintendent, who has unveiled an aggressive master
plan to move the school district into the top 15 in the state.
Land area (square miles).................. 653
Population (2007 estimate).........33,194
Population growth (2000-2007).... -.4%
Median age......................................... 36
Business establishments.................. 978
Employees (daytime population)10,847
Average annual pay................... $43,530
Top Employers
Dow Chemical................................ 2,200
Syngenta Crop Protection Inc......... 885
Hunt Correctional Center................ 674
Corrections Institute....................... 526
River West Medical Center.............. 350
Hebert Brothers Inc......................... 300
Georgia Gulf Chemicals & Vinyl....... 213
Iberville Parish Sheriff......................185
Cobra Texas Manufacturing Co........130
Pioneer Americas.............................. 120
Dow Chemical employs more than 3,000
permanent and contract workers.
Source: Baton Rouge Area Chamber
On the Web
www.ibervillechamber.org
www.ibervilleparish.com
www.cityofstgabriel.us
www.plaquemine.org
courtesy dow louisiana operations
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
PA R I S H E S O F T H E C A P ITA L R E G I O N
Key Metrics
FOR OFALL
YOUR
PET CARE
NEEDS
LOVE UNDERSTOOD
225.302.5926
711 Jefferson Hwy.
225.218.1500
4763 Perkins Road
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
225.924.1353
4803 Perkins Road
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whoweare
The sprawling Bass Pro Shops store in
Denham Springs signals Livingston’s
growth as a retail center.
livingston Parish
Something for everyone
Key Metrics
20
Land area (square miles)..................... 703
Population (2007 estimate)..........116,758
Population growth (2000-2007).... 27.2%
Median age.............................................34
Business establishments.................. 2,486
Employees (daytime population)... 17,145
Average annual pay....................... $21,615
Average household income..........$34,520
Top Employers
Wal-Mart............................................. 600
Shaw Sunland Fabricators.................. 450
Bass Pro Shops.................................... 300
Waste Management Inc...................... 200
Ferrara Fire Apparatus Inc. ................. 165
East Jordan Iron Works....................... 150
Source: Baton Rouge Area Chamber
On the Web
www.visitlivingstonparish.com
www.ledc.net
www.denhamsprings.us
courtesy ferrara fire
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
PA R I S H E S O F T H E C A P ITA L R E G I O N
D
enham Springs, the largest city in Livingston Parish,
now boasts a 163,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops
Outdoor World as the anchor in a 75-acre shopping
center. The store is uniquely designed for South Louisiana and
features a seafood restaurant, an aquarium, an expansive boat
showroom and museum-quality wildlife mounts. Bass Pro
Shops is one of the signal developments in Livingston Parish’s
growing role as an important entertainment and retail center
in the region.
Denham Springs is also well-known for its Antiques
District with nearly 30 antique shops, and the Arts Council of
Greater Denham Springs sponsors an Artists’ Market in the
Antique Village monthly.
Annual festivals in Livingston include the Creole,
Hungarian and Downtown Antique Festivals, and the Spring
and the Fall Fest in Denham Springs. The parish features
some of the region’s premier recreational centers, including
Carter Plantation, a golf and residential resort community
built on a historical Spanish land grant; the Tickfaw River;
and Tickfaw State Park. The park, located on the Tickfaw
River in Springfield, features alligator and fishing ponds,
camping and RV spots, and a nature center.
Also in Livingston Parish is one of only two worldwide
Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory
(LIGO) sites, the National Science Foundation’s prestigious
research station devoted to the detection and harnessing
of gravitational waves from outer space. Tours and special
programs for schools are available.
Ferrara Fire Apparatus in Holden
is one of the nation’s five biggest
manufacturers of fire trucks.
courtesy bass pro shops
As you enjoy your new home, let us invite you to
discover a new way of shopping!
• Shorter Lines • Convenient Parking
• Fresh From the Garden Produce
• Quality Meats with an In-store Butcher
• Homemade Goodness in the Bakery/Deli
Your convenient
Neighborhood Associated Food Stores…
come see what fast, friendly service is all about!
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CARTER’S SUPERMARKET
9285 COCKERHAM RD.
JOHN’S GROCERY
344019 NORTH WALKER RD.
RALPH’S SUPERMARKET
6576 JONES CREEK RD.
LEBLANC’S FOOD STORES
2300 CHURCH ST. #7
HUBBEN’S SUPERMARKET
560 N. ALEXANDER AVE.
MORALES GROCERY
947 EAST MAIN ST.
ROUSSEL’S BUTCHER BOY
58315 FORT ST.
LEBLANC’S FOOD STORES
58440 BELLEVIEW RD.
DAIGLE’S SUPERMARKET
32845 BOWIE ST.
MATHERNE’S SUPERMARKET KENILWORTH
7355 HIGHLAND RD.
MATHERNE’S SUPERMARKET BLUEBONNET
7580 BLUEBONNET BLVD.
HARVEST SUPERMARKET
12513 HWY 73
OAK POINT FRESH MARKET
35045 LA HWY 16
OAK POINT FRESH MARKET
14485 GREENWELL SPRINGS RD.
LEBLANC’S FOOD STORES
209 S. AIRLINE HWY.
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Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
13
BET-R STORE
2812 KALURAH ST.
HI NABOR SUPERMARKET
7201 WINBOURNE AVE.
HI NABOR SUPERMARKET
3446 DRUSILLA LANE
REEVE’S SUPERMARKET
10770 HARRELLS FERRY RD.
HI NABOR SUPERMARKET
5383 JONES CREEK RD.
LEBLANC’S FOOD STORES
40017 HWY 42
RALPH’S SUPERMARKET
15013 HWY 44
LAMENDOLA’S SUPERMARKET
116 W. ASCENSION ST.
LEBLANC’S FOOD STORES
1402-E N. BURNSIDE
MURRAY’S SUPERETTE
HWY 429
DELAUNE’S SUPERMARKET
12516 HWY 431
TUREAU’S GROCERY
44453 HWY 431
PARKER’S SUPERMARKET
20009 WALKER SOUTH RD.
CARTER’S SUPERMARKET
8439 VINCENT RD.
21
whoweare
Historic New Roads is a combination of
small-town life and new industries.
Pointe Coupee Parish
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
PA R I S H E S O F T H E C A P ITA L R E G I O N
Key Metrics
22
Land area (square miles) ................... 591
Population (2007 estimate) .........23,018
Population growth (2000-2007)......1.1%
Median age....................................... 38.5
Business establishments....................665
Employees (daytime population)... 5,134
Average annual pay.................... $22,927
Top Employers
Louisiana Generating.........................360
Nan Ya Plastics Corp..........................226
Wal-Mart............................................200
Pointe Coupee General Hospital....... 175
Louisiana National Guard.................. 136
Town of New Roads............................ 120
Lakeview Manor Nursing Home....... 120
Pointe Coupee Nursing Home........... 100
Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff...............75
Source: Baton Rouge Area Chamber
On the Web
www.emeraldbayoustudios.com
www.pcchamber.org
www.pctourism.org
Where old meets new
T
he quiet town of New Roads, like most of Pointe Coupee
Parish, has historically been known for its fascinating history, Creole French plantations, pecan orchards and sugarcane fields, and its trophy bass fishing lake, False River. But thanks
to Emerald Bayou Studios, Pointe Coupee Parish is now part of the
growing film industry in Louisiana.
A century-old mill site in New
Roads has been converted to a
movie soundstage, with room for
movie sets, offices and stars’ trailers. The development also houses
the training campus for the Home
Grown Workforce Initiative, a program offering Louisiana residents
the opportunity to get paid to learn
the production industry by working
on a film and receiving classroom
training by professionals. Emerald
Bayou Studios has a commitment to
film 10 to 20 movies per year.
Pointe Coupee Parish was established by the French in the 1720s
and has been known as “The Cradle
of Public Education in Louisiana”
since 1808, when it became the first
parish to establish public schools.
The parish has a booming agricultural industry, focusing heavily on
Louisiana Technical College students learn
its production of cotton, sugarcane
movie production skills on the set of a film
and pecans, many of which come
made by Emerald Bayou Studios.
from trees that are hundreds of
years old.
courtesy emerald bayou studios
emily whitaker
We’re already your neighbor.
Now we want to be your bank.
With 30 locations to serve you, no matter where you are in the Greater Baton Rouge area, chances are there’s a Regions
Bank close by. At Regions, we offer a complete line of consumer and business banking loans and services to help you find financial
solutions to meet your goals. And if you’re looking for free checking, your search is over. And since we know buying a home can be
stressful, we do everything possible to make the mortgage approval process easy and hassle-free. So, from one neighbor to another,
we invite you to come see all that Regions Bank has to offer.
• Regions Free Checking1
• Free Regions Platinum Visa® CheckCard
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© 2008 Regions Bank. Member FDIC. 1$50 minimum opening deposit required. All deposit accounts are subject to the terms and conditions of the Regions Deposit Agreement. 2All loans subject to qualification,
required documentation and credit approval.
Pointe Coupee
where TEAMWORK creates success and opportunities
...quality of life with a small town atmosphere
...flat land ripe for commercial, residential manufacturing, and
agricultural development
Pointe Coupee
Chamber of Commerce
...located minutes from downtown Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
23
whoweare
St. Helena is home to Louisiana’s
largest dairy farm.
St. helena Parish
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
PA R I S H E S O F T H E C A P ITA L R E G I O N
Home to farms, forests and families
24
A
big industry in the small town of Montpelier in
St. Helena Parish is making waves for its environmentally friendly ways. In 2007, the 1,500-acre Kleinpeter
Farms Dairy received the Louisiana Wildlife Federation Conservation Award in recognition for the cooperation between
the business of agriculture and the conservation of the environment. Louisiana’s largest dairy farm is a family-owned
company nearly a century old, and is the first dairy farm in
the state to be independently certified by the American Humane Association as being “free farmed.”
Kleinpeter puts a high premium on animal care and promises consumers that the milk comes from cows treated “with
love, not rBGH!” The farm provides environmentally sensitive
housing for its herd of 600 Guernsey, Holstein and Jersey cows,
and also produces much of the fodder that feeds the animals.
This sprawling parish is still home to acres of forests and
forestry operations, but the parish seat of Greensburg is also
home to the Florida Parishes campus of the Louisiana Technical College, an important site for both higher education and
area workforce training. Associate degrees in nursing, welding, patient care, office systems technology, automotive technology and accounting are among the programs offered.
Montpelier is also the home of the Bear Creek Saloon and
Dance Hall, a hotspot for area nightlife where famous country
singers like Charlie Daniels, Blake Shelton and Mark Chesnutt
are among those who have performed live.
St. Helena’s appeal as a residential and business location
continues to grow, spurred by its rural beauty and proximity
to Interstate 55, Interstate 12 and the proposed Zachary Taylor Parkway.
courtesy kleinpeter farms dairy, llc
Key Metrics
Land area in square miles........................ 409
Population (2007 estimate)................ 10,834
Population growth (2000-2007)......... 2.98%
Average age................................................. 37
Business establishments.......................... 188
Employees (daytime population)............ 789
Average annual pay.......................... $20,286
Top Employers
St. Helena Parish Hospital....................... 160
Southland Steel Fabricators.................... 130
First Circuit Court of Appeals..................125
St. Helena Parish Nursing Home............... 75
Cal-Maine Foods Inc.................................. 52
Source: Baton Rouge Area Chamber
On the Web
www.i12alliance.com
www.stehelenapj.org
www.kleinpeterdairy.com
www.bearcreeksaloonanddancehall.com
courtesy bear creek saloon and dance hall
Bear Creek Saloon in Montpelier
is an area hotspot for nightlife.
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
25
whoweare
West Baton Rouge Parish is home to the
Port of Greater Baton Rouge, Interstate
10 and several distribution centers.
tim mueller
PA R I S H E S O F T H E C A P ITA L R E G I O N
west baton rouge parish
Key Metrics
Land area (square miles).................. 204
Population (2007 estimate)........ 21,925
Population growth (2000-2007).... 1.5%
Median age.......................................36.1
Business establishments...................781
Employees (daytime population) 9,187
Average annual pay.................. $32,288
Top employers
Petrin Corp....................................... 670
Trinity Marine Port Allen................ 400
Wal-Mart.......................................... 300
Shaw SSS Fabricators........................140
West Baton Rouge Council...............125
ExxonMobil.......................................120
Alcoa Inc............................................ 115
Martin-Brower Co.............................100
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
Source: Baton Rouge Area Chamber
26
On the Web
www.wbrparish.org
www.westbatonrouge.net
www.wbrchamber.org
www.portallen.org
www.addisla.org
www.bruslyla.com
New subdivisions like Brusly Oaks have
increased the parish’s residential appeal.
Location, location, transportation
B
usiness in West Baton Rouge Parish is booming. Where people
once saw only sleepy towns and sugarcane fields, developers
and entrepreneurs have seen a prime location on the west bank
of the Mississippi River and begun creating the next commercial and
residential hotspot. Even the region’s growing film industry has big
plans in West Baton Rouge.
The city of Port Allen—just minutes away from Baton Rouge’s
downtown—is the proposed site of a 227-acre film studio on the riverfront that could someday employ as many as 5,400 people. If all goes
as planned, River Studios will be the largest film studio in Louisiana.
No less than 20 new subdivisions have broken ground in West
Baton Rouge since 2003, and construction on a 270-acre commercial/
residential development south of Port Allen is set to begin this year.
Riverview will feature quiet streets, a variety of housing options, and
upscale restaurants and boutiques all within walking distance in a traditional neighborhood development.
New subdivisions, businesses and amenities continue to spring up
throughout West Baton Rouge Parish, including the new Dow Westside YMCA and a new Wal-Mart. The parish also has the appeal of a
nearby championship golf course, a highly regarded school system,
some of the state’s most valuable transportation assets and, perhaps
most importantly, plenty of room to grow.
courtesy wbr chamber
WEST BATON ROUGE
West Baton Rouge
Chamber of Commerce
Affordable Home Sites • Quality Schools
Pro-Business Government • Lower Taxes
Àˆ`}ˆ˜}Ê̅iÊ7>ÞÊ/œÊ*ÀœÃ«iÀˆÌÞ
www.wbrchamber.org
phone 225.383.3140
The secret to extraordinary meetings... CROSSTHEBRIDGE
West Baton Rouge Conference Center
2750 North Westport Dr., Port Allen
www.westbatonrouge.net
1 (800) 654-9701 • 225-344-2927
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
• Surprisingly affordable rates
• Elegant new facility with plenty free parking
• Banquet and conference rooms to
accommodate 50 to 800
• Hotels in walking distance
• Five easy minutes from Baton Rouge attractions,
15 minutes from exclusive golfing
• Advanced audio/visual technology
• On site catering
• Business center, phones, internet access,
• Exit #151 just off I-10
27
whoweare
Taking the scenic route
S
courtesy lorene smith, louisiana hiking club
Tunica Hills Wildlife Management Area is popular for hunting,
trapping, birdwatching, hiking, biking and other outdoor activities.
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
Key Metrics
28
ituated a half-hour north of Baton
Rouge on the east bank of the Mississippi River, West Feliciana Parish
is a Louisiana mecca for both history and
nature lovers. With the rolling hills of Tunica and the bluffs unique to the area, the
parish has more diverse topography than
anywhere else in the state.
St. Francisville is the most notable
town in the parish, where John James
Audubon created more than 80 of his
paintings for the Birds of America collection. Today the parish, with its scenic
beauty and historic buildings, offers
movie settings that have been utilized in
such films as Dead Man Walking and The
Reaping.
West Feliciana’s current economic potential is signaled by the region’s largest
infrastructure project, the construction of
the John James Audubon Bridge over the
Mississippi River at St. Francisville. When
completed in 2010, it will be the longest
cable-stayed bridge in North America and
provide a link between Pointe Coupee and
West Feliciana parishes.
St. Francisville enjoys a thriving tourism industry buoyed by festivals and its
historic district, known for its antiques
shopping and plantation homes. Additionally, with one of the top five public school
districts in the state and an easy commute
to Baton Rouge, West Feliciana is an increasingly popular residential choice.
Land area (square miles).................. 426
Population (2007 estimate)........ 15,520
Population growth (2000-2007)... 2.7%
Median age......................................... 37
Business establishments.................. 309
Employees (daytime population)..2,216
Average annual pay...................$45,933
Top Employers
La. State Corrections Penitentiary.. 1,100
Entergy Operations Inc. ................. 700
The Bluffs...........................................100
West Feliciana Hospital....................100
Source: Baton Rouge Area Chamber
On the Web
www.westfelicianaparish.org
www.stfrancisville.org
www.stfrancisvillefestivals.com
The longest cable-stayed bridge in North
America is currently under construction
near St. Francisville.
timed
PA R I S H E S O F T H E C A P ITA L R E G I O N
west Feliciana Parish
Make the Louisiana Purchase
Locally made products:
PORT HUDSON OPERATIONS
We’ r e closer than you think!
business
ABOUT EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
c r e at i v e c a p i ta l o f t h e s o u t h
Key Metrics
30
Getting
creative
with our
T
economy
here was a time when just
about all business in the
Capital Region was driven
by its most prominent
geographical asset, the
Mississippi River. For much of the 20th
century, the economy revolved around
the arrival of numerous petrochemical
plants, drawn by the immense water
reserves and transportation logistics of
the river.
Dow Chemical, located between Addis
and Plaquemine on the west side of the
river, remains the largest petrochemical
facility in Louisiana and a longtime staple
of the Iberville and West Baton Rouge
parish economies. ExxonMobil, one of
the world’s largest oil refineries, has made
its home on the river just north of the
State Capitol since 1907 and remains one
of the region’s four largest private employers, providing more than 4,000 jobs.
The petrochemical corridor has driven
the creation of thousands of additional
jobs in services, consulting and
construction. Turner Industries and The
Shaw Group—which join ExxonMobil
and Louisiana State University among
Baton Rouge’s top four employers—
are here in part because of the area
petrochemical industry, even though
both are international in reach.
Land Area (square miles)......................... 455
Population (2007 estimate).............. 430,812
Population growth (2000-2007)........... 4.3%
Median age................................................. 33
Business establishments..................... 19,698
Daytime workforce............................238,347
Average annual pay........................... $31,209
Top Employers
Turner Industries.................................. 8,525
Louisiana State University................... 5,600
ExxonMobil Chemical Co...................... 4,275
The Shaw Group.................................... 4,243
Our Lady of The Lake Medical Center... 4,009
Baton Rouge General Medical Center....3,000
Oshner Clinic Foundations................... 2,000
Woman’s Hospital................................. 1,982
Southern University.............................. 1,800
Blue Cross Blue Shield of La................. 1,525
Cajun Constructors............................... 1,500
Aegis Lending Corp............................... 1,400
Newtron Group, Inc.............................. 1,342
On the Web
www.brac.org
www.brgov.com
www.centralgov.com
www.cityofbakerla.net
www.cityofzachary.com
Research & technology
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courtesy pbrc
c r e at i v e c a p i ta l o f t h e s o u t h
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Today, however, the region’s economic
fortunes are less dependent on the river
than on its universities, which have
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
tim mueller/courtesy port of gbr
begun to accelerate whole new sectors of
the local economy by driving research,
technology transfer, information science
and workforce development.
Two major universities, thriving
community colleges and a strong
technical college system have become a
catalyst for creative new ventures that
are transforming the Capital Region
into the Creative Capital of the South™.
Louisiana State University, as a major
land and sea-grant institution, serves
as the cornerstone, helping to produce
the workforce, the entrepreneurs and
the business startups that will drive the
regional economy in the future.
The Pennington Biomedical Research
Center continues to grow as an
international storehouse for intellectual
capital in the biological sciences. A
campus of the LSU System, it is the
largest academically based nutrition
research center in the world. More than
80 faculty members and more than
600 physicians, scientists and support
personnel focus their research efforts
on six key areas: obesity and diabetes,
experimental obesity, functional foods,
nutrition and chronic diseases, health
and performance enhancement, and
nutrition and the brain. The center
occupies a 234-acre campus on
Perkins Road, with construction
set to begin soon on a new
Clinical Research Center that
will add more jobs and research
capabilities.
Southern University, the
main campus of the nation’s
largest historically black higher
education institution, also takes
an aggressive role in pursuing
government contracts and partnering
with the regional and statewide
business communities.
Over the past 10 years, Southern’s
“Centers of Excellence” have rapidly
expanded the university’s capabilities
in high-tech research and workforce
training. The Center for Coastal Zone
Assessment and Remote Sensing
(CCZARS), for example, was created by
a $6 million, five-year grant from NASA
that is now in its fourth year. The center
works closely with NASA’s Stennis Space
Center (located just 75 miles east of
Baton Rouge) and conducts research and
development in areas such as geographic
information systems, global positioning
systems and remote sensing.
business
Major industrial investment
continues to insulate the Capital Region’s
economy against the slowdowns affecting
much of the nation. ExxonMobil has
plans for a major expansion in Baton
Rouge, and Lifguels Corp. is working
with the state to locate a $5 billion coal
gasification facility in Ascension Parish
that would eventually employ 900
workers. On the west side of the river,
Shintech is building a $1 billion PVC
manufacturing plant in Iberville Parish,
where it expects to begin production in
early 2008 and eventually employ up to
350 workers. The region is also on the
cutting edge of the developing biofuels
industry, with plants soon to be built in
both Ascension and West Baton Rouge
parishes.
31
32
Film & animation
The Capital Region continues to grow
as a center for the film and animation
industries in the Gulf South. Driven by a
generous statewide tax incentive program
for filmmakers and the region’s immense
natural and cultural resources, the movie
business has descended on the Capital
Region, which has hosted filming for a
series of major Hollywood feature films,
including Monster’s Ball, Glory Road, All
the King’s Men and The Curious Case of
Benjamin Button.
In 2007 alone, the Baton Rouge
region saw an economic impact
from film and television
carolyn valentine blakley
Baton Rouge area City Guide 2008
c r e at i v e c a p i ta l o f t h e s o u t h
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The Louisiana Business & Technology
Center at LSU is a small business incubator focusing on technology companies.
Named the 2005 Incubator of the Year
by the National Business Incubation Association, the LBTC has
documented the creation of
more than 8,000 jobs and
brought in more than
$110 million in equity,
grants and loans for incubator clients. In its
20-year history, the incubator has graduated 114
tenants, with 88 of them
still in business.
Another high-tech incubator
is located at the new Bon Carré
Business Center in Baton Rouge, where
a collaboration between state funding
and private partners helped to create the
Louisiana Technology Park. The park,
which opened in 2001, provides tailored
data processing and storage services,
high-speed Internet access, first-class
office space and consulting assistance for
startups, as well as a commercial data
center. Network Technology Group’s Tier
IV commercial data center facility—the
only one of its kind between Atlanta
and Houston—offers co-location and
managed hosting, offsite data backup
and disaster recovery services, as well as
a data network with diverse fiber feeds
allowing for bandwidth capacity on
demand.
production exceeding $70 million,
with more than 20 film and television
productions shooting in the area. This
volume is expected to increase as the
local infrastructure grows. The Celtic
Media Centre is now open for business
with state-of-the-art sound
stages, a mixing facility and
many production offices
on site. LA Pro Space,
based in downtown
Baton Rouge, also
offers competitively
priced production
offices that are available
for short-term lease.
to
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And
Louisiana Media
y
s
rte
c ou
Productions is a newly
established production and
production services company.
In addition, two new post-production
companies, Louisiana Media Services and
River Road Creative, have set up a home
in Baton Rouge within the past year.
Their presence in the market complements local post-houses such as Digital
F/X, 3rd Coast Digital and LA Post. On
the west side of the river, Emerald Bayou
Studios, a full-service Hollywood studio,
has begun operations in New Roads, and
Studio City Louisiana, a massive, $325
million studio facility, is in the planning
stages for West Baton Rouge Parish.
Downtown Baton Rouge, meanwhile,
hosted the fourth annual Red Stick Animation Festival this spring, the largest
animation festival in the United States.
The festival features industry professionals from the top animation studios in the
world. It also highlights the area’s infrastructure for animation technologies,
which includes world-class supercomputers, the Louisiana Center for Arts
and Technology at LSU and direct access to the National
LambdaRail
fiber-optic
pipeline.
nr
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business
Incubators
In addition to the festival, legislation
creating a digital media tax credit in Louisiana has made the region more appealing to the video game industry, movie
animators and companies that develop
interactive simulations for medicine and
other applications.
Tourism & retail
Our history and our natural resources
continue to make tourism a significant
driver of many development initiatives
and private ventures. It is an industry
that pumps more than $600 million
a year into the parishes of the Capital
Region, and it is still growing. The area
continues to sprout new hotel and
hospitality projects, highlighted by a
major renovation of the historic Capitol
House Hotel in downtown Baton Rouge,
which reopened as the Hilton Capitol
Center in 2006, and a massive expansion
of our world-class convention facility on
the Baton Rouge riverfront, the Baton
Rouge River Center, completed in 2004.
In Baton Rouge alone, more than
1,400 new hotel rooms are expected
to open by fall 2008, and the planned
development of a $250 million
resort hotel and casino by Pinnacle
Entertainment seems sure to spur even
more growth over the next decade.
With a series of bold new commercial
developments in Baton Rouge and rapid
population growth in outlying areas,
the Baton Rouge area is also becoming a
trendy, high-end retail hub. Innovative
mixed-use projects and lifestyle centers
have reimagined commercial and
retail development.
Bon Carré Business Center
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Transportation
The Baton Rouge Metropolitan
Airport is a state-of-the-art
transportation facility with recently
remodeled concourse, parking and
concessions areas. The airport’s business
offerings include competitive leasing
rates, Foreign Trade Zone, future
industrial park development, air and
ground cargo and shipping facilities, and
convienent services such as hotels, fuel
and car rental.
The Port of
Greater Baton
Rouge, located next
to Interstate 10 in
West Baton Rouge
Parish, connects
the Capital Region
to hundreds of U.S.
and global markets,
with nearly 60 million tons of cargo
passing across its
docks each year.
Together with the
Mississippi River, it
forms the hub of a
logistics network in the Capital Region
that includes the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and multiple interstate highways,
railroads and pipelines.
Interstates 10 and 12 join in Baton
Rouge, providing direct access to
Houston, New Orleans, Hammond and
(via nearby I-55) Jackson, Miss.
brian baiamonte
business
c r e at i v e c a p i ta l o f t h e s o u t h
The Mall of Louisiana is in the midst of
a major expansion adding an open-air
lifestyle center, the Towne Center at Cedar Lodge has become a hub for trendy,
upscale shops and restaurants, and the
Perkins Rowe development in South Baton Rouge is a major new retail draw that
mixes in a movie theater, condos, offices,
hotels and health care services.
Other highlights include a sprawling
Bass Pro Shops store now open in
Denham Springs, a Cabela’s sporting
goods store in Gonzales—both
surrounded by outlying parcels for
additional retail activity—a new WalMart in West Baton Rouge and a 30-acre
retail development in Zachary.
For information
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (3817125) offers a variety of information
about business and industry to the
newcomer. The Baton Rouge Technology
Council (612-2137) is an initiative of
the Chamber that serves the interests of
technology companies and technology
users with information, networking
opportunities and more.
Information about the movie industry
and supporting infrastructure in the
Capital Region is available through
the Louisiana Capital Area Economic
Development Allies Film Commission
(921-8231) or the Baton Rouge Film
Commission (382-3563).
A complete list of Capital Region
chambers and economic development
agencies can be found in our Business
Resources listings, pages 84-87. BR
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