LMR-October_PROOF6

LMA District C Mayors Meet
BY YVONNE LEWIS, CITY OF TALLULAH
District C Vice President
and Tallulah mayor Paxton
Branch hosted a luncheon
for District C mayors to
introduce his Tallulah
Industrial Parkway
project, a mixed use
project combining retail,
lodging, entertainment
and big box distribution/
intermodal transportation.
With the potential for
up to 1,800 jobs, Branch
invited the mayors to
come and see how
the regional project
could impact economic
development for all of
northeast Louisiana.
“The City of Tallulah
owns approximately 250
acres of land that fronts
Interstate 20,” Branch
said. “This is prime land
for the type of mixed use
development that I am envisioning. Because of the
number of potential jobs, I knew that Tallulah wouldn’t
be able to supply the entire workforce which is why
I wanted to bring in the region’s mayors. We are all
searching for ways to bring jobs to our constituents. I
really believe that this will be an economic driver for
many of the cities, towns and villages in Northeast
Louisiana. The project includes a partnership with
Louisiana Delta Community College to provide a
pathway from education to employment in the big box
distribution/intermodal transportation industry. I’m a
big believer in education so I wanted to find a way for
individuals to combine education in a specific industry
with the potential for employment once the education
component is completed.”
The project is designed to be developed in three
initial phases. “We’re going to develop in a manner
that is the most cost effective and feasible for the
project,” Branch continued. “I am working with several
developers because of the size of the project. To
develop 250 acres would be a large undertaking for
just one developer. And, I also believe that a little
competition will help to encourage the developers
(Front Row l to r) Tallulah mayor Paxton Branch, St. Joseph mayor Elvadus Fields, Richmond Mayor Olga Butler,
Winnsboro representative Alice Wallace, LMA First vice President and Mayor of Rayville, Harry Lewis, MB Design
Consultants owner Jatinder Goel, Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo (Back Row l to r) Delta Mayor Marvin Ashley,
Delhi Mayor Jesse Washington, Paxton Branch II, Bastrop mayor Henry Cotton, Tallulah City Attorney Raymond
Cannon, Mangham Mayor Jonnie Natt and Madison Journal Publisher LaTrena Lewis
as the project goes along.” Branch said that while
lodging, retail and restaurants will be important to
the project, he is looking forward to the distribution/
intermodal element. “Northeast Louisiana is one of the
poorest areas in the State of Louisiana,” he said. “I’ve
researched the containerization transfer industry. There
is no true transfer station between Dallas, Texas and
Atlanta, Georgia. Tallulah sits right smack in the middle
of those two major cities on I-20. This project has the
potential to be an intermodal transfer station that will
allow cargo containers to be transferred between truck,
rail and ships for destinations east, west, north, south,
nationwide and internationally.”
Branch said that he has been in discussions regarding
the project with state and federal legislators and has
received tremendous support for this project. “Not
only do we have the support of our federal and state
legislators, we have support from almost every mayor
in District C,” Branch said. “This is an exciting time
for northeast Louisiana. All of our municipalities are
facing many of the same issues – with jobs being at the
forefront. I truly believe that this project will be one
that is good for our entire region.”
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LMR | October 2017