Think Big!

Think Big!
By George Swift

There’s no doubt the regional approach to economic development is the successful way to go. To those doubters, check out what has happened in Tupelo, Houston, Hattiesburg, Mobile, Charlotte, and Louisville.

Our Southwest Louisiana region (the five parishes of Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jeff Davis) will need to work with other regions in order to optimize our future.

North
The SWLA Economic Development Alliance recently signed a community covenant with Fort Polk in Vernon Parish. We are pledging to support the efforts of this important military facility and its personnel as they work to expand to double their size. Since Vernon Parish and Fort Polk play such a key role in the economic dynamic of our region, we are happy we are now officially playing ball.

West
Since Rita, Southeast Texas, and Southwest Louisiana have traveled together on several important missions to Washington, D.C. We have an excellent working relationship with the Chambers in Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange. The Alliance is working with the Greater Beauregard Chamber and the Jeff Davis Business Alliance to further strengthen our efforts with our friends in Southeast Texas. We can combine forces to recruit new workers to both areas rather than raiding each other’s labor pool.

East
Some time ago, the officers of the Chamber SWLA met with the Lafayette Chamber leaders, and the roof didn’t collapse. With that major accomplishment, it is time for us to forge a working relationship with the Lafayette region to tackle some mutual issues. Mayor Roach and Lafayette Parish Mayor Joey Durel get along well and both support regionalism. Lafayette is pushing for the completion of I-49 and our area needs a new wider, safer I-10 bridge over the Calcasieu River in Lake Charles. While we have yet to get SWLA and Acadiana together on this, I believe we would be much more effective if we sought funding for both projects together. A powerful case can be made when you tie SWLA and Acadiana together and emphasize the energy we supply to the entire country. It’s an impressive story. If both regions spoke with a combined voice, we would be a strong force in Baton Rouge.

Statewide
The airports and airparks in Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Alexandria have worked together on aviation issues and that effort has been expanded to include the other airports and industrial parks in the state. We have precedents for working outside narrow geographic lines. We have to check our egos at the door and realize that while we may compete with these areas at times, we all benefit by expanding our mental boundaries.

We also have been involved in the I-10/I-12 corridor initiative which was financed and hosted by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. One of the proposals was for the state to pay for a large marketing and branding campaign for the corridor. With the condition of state finances, that is not going to happen. The I-10/I-12 corridor initiative recently added New Orleans, so our efforts now encompass the entire southern half of the state.

GNO, Inc., the New Orleans area regional economic development group, and the Chamber SWLA worked together during the past legislative session to push incentives for increased energy production and to make Louisiana competitive with adjacent states on energy production. That’s a first—SWLA and New Orleans working together. It won’t be the last.

The future of our Southwest Region is dependent on how well we work with those areas around
us. Planners have already identified ten megapolitan areas in the nation. We are in the Gulf Coast Region which is basically from Brownsville to Pensacola. A sub-set of that huge area, is the Texas Gulf Coast which includes 21 counties in Texas and two parishes in Louisiana; Calcasieu and Cameron. So whether we like it or not (and I do), we are a small part of a huge mega-region. Former Governor Buddy Roemer said in a recent appearance to Fusion Five members that the future is strong for the Gulf Coast. We are right where we need to be physically.

Our challenge is to get where we need to be “mentally.” If we do, we will exceed the expectations of even our most positive thinkers.

The Alliance is about building coalitions and we are ready.

Think globally, act regionally and talk up Southwest Louisiana.

You Can Make The Difference

By George Swift



As part of our pro-active efforts to market Southwest Louisiana, I recently attended a huge trade show in Chicago for the plastics industry. Louisiana Economic Development and Southwest Louisiana was represented along with some of the other areas of the state. Thousands attended the gigantic McCormick Center.

It was interesting to see the reactions to the Louisiana booth. As a small giveaway, we used the little bottles of Tabasco. There was universal recognition of this hot sauce from attendees over the world whether they were from China, Korea, Mexico, as well as all over the United States. We are now beginning to get positive reactions about doing business in Louisiana since the new pro-business, Jindal administration and new ethics laws are now in place. Our state is number one in the nation in financial disclosure from elected officials. We’re beginning to see progress in attitudes toward our state.

As a tourist destination, Louisiana also scores high. Folks who have traveled to Louisiana said they loved our state, its culture and people. Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu talks about our Cultural Economy and how it can be expanded. There’s no doubt that the positives of Louisiana’s food, music, and friendly people can help us develop our economy.

Those who have visited our state want to return. Granted, most visitors and worldwide citizens know New Orleans more than they know the rest of the state and our region is not as well known, but that is beginning to change. The casino industry brings in 8 million visitors a year. We need to let them know there’s more to our region than our popular casinos. Our wildlife, hunting and fishing, museums, festivals, restaurants and other attractions are worth exploring.

How do we get people to make the transition from visitors to residents and business operators? You can have a big influence on our visitors. We can be friendly and hospitable, which most of us are. It’s part of our Louisiana culture.

We can be positive and informed if someone asks directions or about something to do. All it takes is one negative comment and the visitor is left with a bad impression. The SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau, along with the Beauregard, Allen, Cameron, and Jeff Davis tourist bureaus, can give you plenty of suggestions for things to do in each parish.

Why not play tourist in your own back yard and take a mini-trip in our region to see all the things we have here. Have you driven the Creole nature Trail All American Road lately? Have you visited the new Leatherwood museum in Oakdale? How about the museums of DeRidder? The Imperial Calcasieu Museum? The Old 1911 City Hall? The Central School in Lake Charles? You’ll enjoy them and will be pleasantly surprised—and you’ll be better prepared to be an ambassador for our area.

Several years ago, Mayor Roach formed a task force of new residents to our area to find out what they wanted from the region. Many of the items they identified are here—just not as well known. We can do a better job of informing our local residents about our attractions and amusements.
Most everyone knows a classmate or fellow member of a civic or religious organization that owns or has influence with companies located outside the state.

If you let us know at the SWLA Alliance we can send them a video and other information on our area and the positives for doing business here. There’s nothing better than a personal contact from you to open the door. We can all be ambassadors to increase tourism and business just by informing our friends and relatives who live elsewhere about visiting, living and doing business in Southwest Louisiana. Let’s contact those we know—especially our younger folks who have moved away. Invite them back home.

Let’s think globally, act regionally and talk up Southwest Louisiana.