Learning From The Top In Louisiana

A statewide program is building on the success of Louisiana Economic Development’s CEO Roundtables to provide peer learning for emerging businesses.

By the BF Staff
From the July/August 2019 Issue

Louisiana Economic Development (LED) is expanding its statewide network of Small and Emerging Business Development Roundtables provided through the Small and Emerging Business Development, or SEBD, Program. Sessions began in July and August for the innovative peer-to-peer learning program that brings together 10 to 15 business leaders of small and emerging businesses for a yearlong experience of collaborative learning and problem solving.

SEBD Louisiana peer learning
(Credit: Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance)

Applications are still being accepted for the 2019-20 session of the innovative, peer-to-peer learning program. Business owners meet 10 times throughout the year to share business challenges and discover solutions in a safe environment. Louisiana companies that have been certified by LED’s SEBD program can apply to the program.

“The SEBD Roundtables program encourages our emerging business leaders to tap into their collective wisdom and address the challenges that arise when running a company,” LED Secretary Don Pierson said. “Access to peer-to-peer knowledge helps business owners to avoid pitfalls and costly mistakes. Through this program, business owners are able to identify new opportunities to expand and sustain their businesses and spur business growth in Louisiana.”

SEBD Roundtables help small business owners improve decision-making, determine what they are doing right and identify what needs improvement.

As the roundtables unveil challenges that the companies may be facing, the SEBD Program addresses those needs through managerial and technical assistance to enhance their business and management knowledge.

The peer-to-peer learning experience provided by the SEBD Roundtables is based on the PeerSpectives™ Roundtable System, which was developed by the Edward Lowe Foundation and is used around the country. SEBD Intermediaries—who comprise a network of LED’s managerial and technical assistance providers—have been certified through this program to ensure the roundtables deliver a consistent experience in the small business community.

The SEBD Intermediaries that currently are recruiting for the SEBD Roundtables include: Business and Community Development Center – Southern University, Shreveport; City of Alexandria and Ministers of Economic Development; Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the Small Business Development Center, Greater New Orleans; Microbusiness Enterprise Corporation of Ascension – Gonzales; Small Business Development and Management Institute – Southern University, New Orleans; Small Business Development Center – Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond; Small Business Development Center – University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Small Business Development Center – University of Louisiana at Monroe; Southwest Louisiana Partnership for Economic Development – Lake Charles; TruFund – Baton Rouge; and Urban League of Louisiana – New Orleans.

SWLA: HAVEN FOR CERTIFIED SITES

With a total of $109 billion in business investments, Southwest Louisiana’s five parish region is the hottest area for industrial real estate in America, and has plenty of room to grow.

LED leads the state’s efforts in finding and assisting property owners in getting parcels qualified for official certification.

The Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance in Lake Charles managed the overall site selection process with LED. Alliance staff works with public officials and private property owners to locate potential properties and encourage owners to partake in the site certification process.

SEBD Louisiana
R.B. Smith, Alliance VP of Business and Workforce Development

“Site selection is actually elimination for major projects. Having access to global resources and opportunities, site selectors are quick to eliminate sites that are not ready for construction and located near feedstock supplies and multiple transit opportunities,” said Alliance Vice President of Business and Workforce Development R.B. Smith. “The site certification process provides site selectors with advanced information about the site that accelerates the process for project construction, an advantage over non-certified sites.”

Currently, SWLA has 10 development-ready sites.

“Certified sites in Southwest Louisiana vary in size and location. Having these sites allows us to answer a broad variety of site selection requests for information based on the requirements listed in each request,” Smith said.

All of the following sites are in an area which can be considered a logistical unicorn with direct access to the Port of Lake Charles (top 10 facility in the nation), a deepwater port system, access to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, regional and international airports, quick interstate highway access and Class one rail services.

Beauregard Mega Site. Located in DeRidder, Louisiana, the site is 1,188 acres, sub-divided, available for lease and zoned for industrial use. It is located one mile away from U.S. 190 and four miles away from U.S. 171. The airport is 48 miles away from Lake Charles Regional Airport, 44 miles from the Port of Lake Charles, 65 miles from the West Calcasieu Port, Harbor and Terminal District, 32 miles from the Calcasieu River Ship Channel and 39 miles from the Vinton Navigation Canal. Kansas City Southern Railroad provides rail serve three miles away from the site and a spur is operated by Timber Rock Railroad on site.

Bel Industrial Park. Located in Lake Charles, the facility is 32 acres, sub-divided, available for lease and zoned for industrial use. It is one mile away from Chennault International Airport and eight miles from Lake Charles Regional Airport. The facility is less than a mile from both U.S. 90 and La. 397. It is one mile away from Interstate 10 and two miles from Interstate 210. Bel Park is 10 miles away from the Port of Lake Charles and 13 miles away from West Calcasieu Port, Harbor and Terminal District. Union Pacific provides primary rail service to the site with rail less than a mile away.

Chennault Site 2-2A. Located on Chennault International Airport, the property is 185 acres, subdivided, is available for lease and is zoned for industrial use. The airport is four miles away from U.S. 90 and one mile away from La. 397. Interstate 10 is three miles away from the facility and Interstate 210 is less than a mile away. Chennault is 70 miles away from the Port of Lake Charles.

Chennault Site 5. Located on airport property, the parcel of land is 160 acres, subdivided, available for lease and zoned for industrial use. Both Interstate 10 and 210 are less than a mile away from the property. U.S. 90 and La. 397 are both within a mile of the airport. Union Pacific has on-site rail. The Port of Lake Charles is 10 miles away from the site.

T.O. Allen Industrial Park North. Located in Iowa, Louisiana, the parcel is 562 acres, subdivided and has a sale price of $27,500 per acre. The property is not for lease. It is zoned for industrial and commercial development. The property is located 20 miles away from Jennings General Aviation (airport) and 30 miles away from Lake Charles Regional Airport. Interstate 10 is one mile away from the property and 56 away miles from Interstate 49. U.S. 90 and La. 101 are within three miles of the property. BNSF has a spur on-site and Union Pacific has rail service one mile away. The Port of Lake Charles is 21 miles away and Mermentau River Port is 30 miles away.

T.O. Allen Industrial Park South. Located in Iowa, Louisiana, the parcel is 143 acres, subdivided and has a sale price of $27,500 per acre. The property is not for lease. It is zoned for industrial and commercial development. The property is 11 miles away from Chennault International Airport and 17 miles away from Lake Charles Regional Airport. Interstate 10 is two miles away from the parcel and Interstate 210 is 12 miles away. U.S. 90 and La. 101 are both less than two miles away from the site. Union Pacific provides primary rail service less than a mile away from the property. Both the Port of Lake Charles and West Calcasieu Port, Harbor and Terminal District are within 20 miles of the industrial park.

H.C. Drew Development Area. Located in Vinton, Louisiana, the site consists of 183 acres of subdivided land with a sale price of $2.7 million. The property is zoned for industrial and commercial use. It is located 22 miles away from Lake Charles Regional Airport and 120 miles away from George Bush International Airport in Houston. Interstate 10 is six miles away from the parcel and Interstate 49 is 94 miles away. U.S. 90 is less than a mile away from the development area while La. 3063 is five miles away. Union Pacific Railroad rail is less than a mile away and Kansas City Southern rail is five miles away. The area is 12 miles away from the Port of Lake Charles and 15 miles away from the West Calcasieu Port, Harbor and Terminal District. Another asset to the property is that it is located three miles away from the Vinton Navigation Channel and 11 miles from the Calcasieu Ship Channel.

Lake Charles Regional Airport Site 1. The 156 acres parcel is subdivided, available for lease and zoned for industrial and commercial use. Both Interstates 10 and 210 are within eight miles of the parcel and both La. 385 and La. 384 are located less than a mile from the property. Union Pacific has rail service three miles away from the site and Kansas City Southern has rail nine miles away. The Port of Lake Charles is six miles away from the airport and the Cameron Parish Port, Harbor and Terminal District is located five miles away. Both the Calcasieu River Ship Channel and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway are an estimated four miles from the airport.

Port of Vinton Site 11. Located in Vinton, Louisiana, the site is 156 acres of subdivided land, available for lease and zoned for industrial use. Airports in the vicinity of the parcel are Southland Field, 10 miles, and Lake Charles Regional Airport, 20 miles. Interstate 10 is one mile away from the land, while La. 108 and La. 3063 are both located less than a mile from the property. Union Pacific primary rail service are nine miles from the land. The parcel sits near the Vinton Navigation Channel and is six miles from the Gulf Intracoastal Water.

PLC Tract 175. Located in Lake Charles, the 339-acre parcel site is subdivided, available for lease and zoned for industrial use. Chennault International Airport is near the land while Lake Charles Regional is nine miles away. The property is one mile away from Interstate 10 and two miles away from Interstate 210. Both U.S. 90 and La. 397 are within a half-mile of the site. Spur service is provided by Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF and Kansas City Southern are on the site. The Port of Lake Charles is nine miles away from the land.

This section was written by Eric Cormier.

GAMING STUDIO TO OPEN IN NOLA

Gov. John Bel Edwards and CEO Nathaniel Tsai of Dreamleague Gaming recently announced the eSports firm will open a location establishing New Orleans as the Southern hub for its live entertainment leagues. In addition to operating live digital-gaming competitions, Dreamleague will produce online video content in New Orleans.

Dreamleague will create 25 new direct jobs in New Orleans, with an average annual salary of $52,600, plus benefits. LED estimates the project will result in another 25 new indirect jobs, for a total of 50 new jobs in Southeast Louisiana. The company will host multiple gaming tournaments and conventions in the city, supporting the local economy and generating activity for small businesses. Dreamleague has plans to expand in New Orleans in the coming years.

“Dreamleague Gaming’s entry into New Orleans is a testament to the city’s standing as a top destination for conventions, entertainment, competitive events and innovative tech firms,” said Gov. Edwards. “Louisiana’s vibrant digital media and software sector is attracting not only mainstay software and IT professionals, but also inventive participants in the emerging eSports field. I’m proud that Louisiana will serve as the Southern hub for Dreamleague as the company brings an exciting brand of competitive entertainment to New Orleans.”

As a firm managing live interactive-entertainment events, Dreamleague organizes ticketing, marketing and promotions for video gaming competitions. Additionally, the company provides consulting services to universities looking to host live interactive events. “With such a diverse demographic of gamers and its central location in the South, Louisiana is the perfect spot for our regional headquarters as we expand eSports into new markets nationwide,” Tsai said.