Is LIV Golf looking to Louisiana as a future venue? The state appears poised to spend $7M

USA Today

2 days ago

Is LIV Golf looking to Louisiana as a future venue? The state appears poised to spend $7M
Is the Louisiana Legislature looking to lure a LIV Golf event to the Bayou as early as June 2026?
It sure appears that way as the state's Legislature is planning to spend at least $7 million in public money to bring the controversial golf league, owned by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to New Orleans next summer.
WDSU-TV first reported the possibility of a LIV event in the Big Easy back in March. Now, KPLC 7 reported that the Louisiana Senate Finance Committee inserted the golf tournament spending into the proposed $49 billion state operating budget on Sunday. Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, said the Louisiana Economic Development agency, overseen by Gov. Jeff Landry, requested the money.
At least $2 million would be earmarked for upgrading the Bayou Oaks golf course at New Orleans City Park, where the tournament would be held. Another $5 million would be given directly to LIV Golf as a hosting fee, Henry said in an interview with reporters Sunday night. Henry said the money is going to help 'get the course up and running for a LIV quality event.'
Henry said the LIV Golf event is expected to generate about $60 million in spending for New Orleans. The tournament would be held in June or July of 2026, at a time of year when city tourism is down and the hospitality industry is typically struggling.
'It'll drive significant economic activity at a time when the city is usually pretty slow,' he said
One person close to the situation says the projected economic impact from the event for the region could be between $50-75 million.
Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, said the Louisiana Economic Development agency, overseen by Gov. Jeff Landry, requested the money.
'It'll drive significant economic activity at a time when the city is usually pretty slow,' he said.
The state's $7 million allocation would be devoted mostly to the first year of expenses in 2026, Henry added.
The funds Louisiana is putting toward the LIV golf event come from the state's major events incentive fund, which provides public funding for large tourist attractions. In the past, it has been used to lure the Super Bowl, Essence Festival and NCAA Final Four for men's basketball. Other events getting money from the fund in the proposed state budget for the year that starts July 1 include the U.S. Bowling Congress Tournament ($5 million), an Ultimate Fighting Championship event ($1.5 million), the 2026 Southeastern Conference Gymnastics Championship ($750,000), the U.S. Gymnastics National Championships in New Orleans this August ($750,000), the Barksdale Defenders of Liberty Air Show ($500,000) and the State Fair of Louisiana in Shreveport ($100,000).
The report also noted another $250,000 in public funding from a Jefferson Parish tourism promotion account is also going to the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a PGA Tour event held each spring at the TPC Louisiana golf course in Avondale.