BUSINESSES CONSIDER ST LANDRY FOR RELOCATION
By William Johnson, Daily World
Article published Jan 17, 2007
 

While it is all very tentative at this stage, St. Landry Parish may be in the running for two new industries.  The firs, which is looking for about 10 acres near a railroad line and a refinery, would mean about 45 jobs.  The second, which is looking for 1,0000 acres has the potential to mean 1,000 jobs or more.

Gerard Perron, executive director of the St. Landry Economic and Industrial Development District, spoke about the prospects at Tuesday's board meeting.  As for what the industries may be, Perron isn't sure.  All he knows is the state has filed a request for a proposal.  An RFP is the first step for businesses seeking to locate in the state.  The state economic development agency requests the RFPs from agencies such as SLEIDD.  It then passes the responses on the interested party, who then decides which to investigate further.  Perron said if the parish makes the first cut, usually the next step is a visit by an engineer representing the company.

The 10 acre site is a good sized business.  The 1,000 acre request is huge.  The Wal-Mart Distribution Center, the largest privately owned employer in the parish, uses 114 acres.  Usually only a major manufacturer, such as an auto plant, would need that much room.  Perron said the unknown business says it needs 400 acres just for the proposed plant with the rest of the land needed for parking and other support facilities.  That is very, very large.  It is hard to fathom.  Even the Union Tank Car plant that located in Alexandria last year only needed 150 acres," Perron said.

Fortunately, SLEIDD recently has invested in a large site for an industrial park that might just do the job. "That site is only 400 acres, but we told them the rest of the land is available," Perron said.  He has heard nothing since responding to the RFPs last week, but said that is not unusual.  Such major companies usually want information immediately but then take months to make their decision.  "We are like the catcher.  Sometimes the state throws strikes, sometimes it throws fouls, but we have to catch them all," Perron said.

Perron said he knows St. Landry Parish is probably only one of a dozen such sites being considered in a several state region.  But being one of a dozen means the parish is at least in the game.  "If we could get another business like the Wal-Mart Distribution Center that employs 1,400 people, that would be wonderful," Perron said.

Perron said the idea for the new super site was the brain child of the eight parish Acadiana Economic Development Council, of which St. Landry Parish is a member.  The idea is to have a site in place so the eight parish region, which includes Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary and Vermilion, can move quickly should a major industry express interest in the area.  He said all eight parishes, which would benefit from the employment such a major industry would create, have agreed to help sweeten the deal with other inducements if needed. 

While these two industry prospects are tentative at best at this point, the SLEIDD board voted Tuesday to spend an additional $10,000 for a bird in the hand.  SLEIDD recently attracted S&B Sawmill, which manufactures railroad cross-ties, to the parish. S&B has agreed to lease an 11 acre site at the back of the SLEIDD industrial park just north of Opelousas that is already home to the distribution center.  "The concrete slab is complete. As soon as the weather clears up, they will start installing their equipment," Perron said.