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.