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Welcome to the First Edition!
what’s new in Ascension is our new quarterly newsletter. If you would like to be added to our
mailing list, please send an email to: [email protected].
2015 Year in Review
More Project Wins Possible in 2016
November marked the10th anniversary for AEDC.
Over the past 10 years, 57 projects wins lead to $6.3
billion in capital investment, 2,484 jobs, and $136.5
million in new payroll. Also in November, Shell
Chemical announced it would invest $717 million at its
Geismar facility. The project will create 20 high paying
jobs.
2015 saw increases in Parish employment, sales tax
collections and population. AEDC held its first annual
Small Business Power Week that guided 50
participants through business training; held a Power
Lunch with top CEO’s; made site visits and conducted
interviews with 45 existing companies; and conducted
a Realtor training program with 20 participants.
Looking ahead, the many successes of the past could
very well continue into 2016. Staff is currently working
on 27 perspective projects that have the potential to
generate $16 billion in capital investment, 3,615 jobs,
and $132 million in new payroll. Coupled with the
most LED Certified Sites (9) of any parish in the State
and the proposed addition of the 17,000 acre West
Bank Mega-Plex, Mike Eades, AEDC President and
CEO, says, “we’re very excited about the opportunities
and the future looks bright.”
In the New Year, staff will visit another 50 local
companies and host the second annual Small
Business Week. In addition to retention and
expansion efforts, other strategic initiatives to be
addressed include diversifying the employment base;
improving the economic competitiveness for processoriented and petrochemical industries; networking with
stakeholders; marketing; and funding.
Despite falling stocks and the price of oil dipping below
$30/bbl, most economists predict a decent year ahead
for the US economy. GDP growth should be about
2.7%, inflation about 2.4%, and oil rebounding to $40$45/bbl.
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January 2016
Parish Economic Development Briefs
The percent change
in Ascension Parish
employment leads
the Baton
Rouge/New
Orleans regions at
9.8% (see graph on
page 2).
Parish employment
in November
reached 57,452.
Sectors with the
greatest growth
were professional
and technical
services,
administrative and
waste
management,
construction, real
estate, information,
and other services.
Proposed West
Bank MegaPlex
The 17,000 acre site
is in the McCallModeste area. The
proposed Megasite is
the largest continuous
acreage on deep
water in the US.
ECONOMIC UPDATE
Sources: Louisiana Workforce Commission for employment, US Census Bureau for population
PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE
For a list of available buildings and sites within the parish visit:
Buildings and Sites