a day ago
EBR Metro Council picks new advisor for Raising Canes River Center redevelopment project
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Metro council members move forward with bringing the Baton Rouge Convention Center Expansion and Headquarters Hotel Development Project to life.
With one opposed, council members chose to have Hunden Partners serve as the city-parish's advisor for the project. The project, which has been in the works, is to make the center cater more to conventions, all while construction for a headquarters hotel takes place next door. At the same time, a new LSU arena would take on the larger scale of events like concerts and games.
Councilwoman Carolyn Coleman, whose District houses the river center, supports the plan.
'This is just the first step. This process is not an overnight process as well but it is a much-needed process,' she said.
While many on the board like Coleman agree, Councilman Darryl Hurst said this should have been decided differently.
'Made a decision as a city parish. I urge the mayor and everybody else to slow down. We need to see the data before we make a decision as a council,' said Hurst.
Hurst said he's for the project as a whole to help reshape the parish, as it lacks an all-around convention center for businesses. But he worries the community is an afterthought.
'I'm for a better Baton Rouge. I'm for less burden on the taxpayers as long as the city-parish and the lawyers stay true, and the developers, that they're not going to ask the taxpayer for a dime, I support it,' he said.
With other projects taking over the parish and budgets shifting around due to new city changes, both Hurst and Coleman say this project is a reflection of not only economic changes, but a representation of the people.
'Baton Rouge has to become a priority for somebody, and it's definitely a priority for me,' said Hurst.
'Not I think, but I know that this is the first step toward what's the best is yet to come,' said Coleman.
The parish attorney will start contract negotiations with Hunden Partners, which will then have to be approved by the Metro Council.
EBR Metro Council picks new advisor for Raising Canes River Center redevelopment project
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