Warren Theatre

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Economic Development Presentation
Ascension Parish, Louisiana
Tommy J. Kurtz, CEcD, MPA President/CEO
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• Existing industries
• Chemical
• Industrial Support Services
• Construction
• Chemical Logistics
• Emerging/targeted industries
• Film/Movie Locations
• Food Processing
• Renewable Fuels
• Light Manufacturing
• Warehousing/Distribution
• Retail

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• Key Assets
• Centrally Located between Baton Rouge and New
  Orleans with major interstate access with five
  exits
• 2nd fastest growing parish in Louisiana2000-2007
  (27 growth)
• More than 24 chemical plants operating in the
  Parish
• Major national and international companies such
  as Air Products, BASF, Dupont, Honeywell
• Available land along with Mississippi River
• Access to 4 interstates and 3 deepwater ports
  within 60 miles, and 3 Class I railroads in the
  parish

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• Key Assets
• Close proximity to 10 area colleges, 2 medical
  schools and several research centers
• Parish is home to both a community college and
  vo-tech college
• Public schools ranked top ten schools systems in
  State
• Telecommunications system offers an advanced
  digital and fiber optic network
• Recreation opportunities and historic locations

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• Major Employers
• Turner Industries
• BASF
• Shell
• Rubicon (Huntsman)
• St Elizabeths Hospital
• Eatel
• Honeywell

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• Major Locations-2007-2008
• Tyson-Syntroleum Biofuels Plant-126m, 45 jobs
• Kelloggs Distribution Center-1m, 28 jobs
• Kinder Morgan Liquid Bulk Storage Facility-37m,
  43 jobs
• 84 Lumber Distribution Facility-3.5m, 20 jobs
  (closed April 2008)
• Cabelas-Outdoors Sports Retailer-40m, 350 jobs
• International Marine Tank Liquid Terminal, 165m,
  100 jobs
• AEDC assisted

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• Expansions-2007-2008
• Rubicon/Huntsman-100 million, 25 jobs
• Pearce Foundry-3 million, 15 jobs
• Dupont-66 million, 5 jobs
• St Elizabeths Hospital, 30 million, 50 jobs
• Chef John Folse Company- 10 million, 60 jobs
• Bevel Tech- 3 million, 20 jobs
• AEDC assisted

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Industrial Real Estate Trends -Inventory of
5-10k sf small industrial available -5-6 psf
average for leased industrial space -1-1.50 psf
for raw industrial land -75,000 sf available DC
Center- Ashland Facility-Sealy -Announcement of
MIE Properties- 32 acre business park-200,000 sf
flex space on Highway 44 in stages -50 acres of
industrial land in Donaldsonville Park -Larger
industrial sites- LJ Grezaffi, Gateway, Melancon
Property -AEDC Business Park Project- 3 new
sites under consideration after Grezaffi
negotiations ended
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• Ascension Economic Development Corp.
• Key Projects
• Certified Deepwater Megasite-Pointe Sunshine
• Louisianas first food incubator-LA Edible
  Creations Center
• Business/Office Park Development
• Logistics software modeling for DC prospects with
  BRAC/West Feliciana
• Downstream Specialty Chemical/Renewable Fuels
  Initiative
• Customized GIS system for AEDC
• Film Locations Database and Development

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Key Statistics -Population estimated at 101,000
(LA Tech, 2007) -Parish sales taxes have
increased 33.5 since 2004 (85.7m in
2007) -Average home value of 223,665 with 1,628
sold in 2007, highest avg home price of any
parish in region
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Key Statistics-cont -Property taxes have
increased 20 since 2006-2007- 62-business, 38
residential contribution ratio-( moving more to
residential but slow move) -Residential permits
have increased 122 since 2000
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• 2008 Stats-Jan-June
• Sales taxes- Total collections up 13.7 from June
  2007 to June 2008 (source Parish Sales Tax
  Authority)
• Home Sales
• Total volume down 23 from June 2007 to June 2008
  (848 vs. 651-source-GBRAR)
• Permits
• Residential-down 38.7 from June 2007
• (493 vs. 302-Parish permit office)
• Commercial-down 43.9 from June 2007
• (66 vs. 37-Parish Permit office)

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Population Percent Change 5-Year (2012)
10 miles
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Tommy Kurtz, CEcD, MPA Ascension Economic
Development Corp. www.ascensionedc.com