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The Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission (LCVC) voted last week to build a proposed indoor sports complex in Lafayette, Louisiana. Join us as we explore the LCVC, its core function, and whether an indoor sports complex in Lafayette is a good move.

Lafayette Parish Convention and Visitors Commission

LCVC is neither a for-profit nor a non-profit corporation. Nor is it a department of the Parish or City of Lafayette. It is a political subdivision of the state created pursuant to state law. Louisiana Revised Statute R.S. 33:4574 provides that each commission or bureau “shall be a body politic and corporate and a political subdivision of the state of Louisiana.” State law also provides for the duties of a tourist commission created pursuant to this statute, indicating that “any tourist commission created hereby shall have as its purpose the promotion of tourism within the jurisdiction of the commission.”

State statute also provides that the commission has “the power to sue and be sued, to accept grants or donations of every type, to make capital improvements for the purpose obtain federal funds, to do all things necessary for the promotion and the advertisement and publication of information relating to tourist attractions within its jurisdiction. However, the commission shall not exercise any function which results in competition with local retail businesses or enterprises.”

The Cajundome

Lafayette also has another government entity known as the Cajundome Commission. The commission was initially established in 1987 by an intergovernmental agreement entered into between the City of Lafayette and the University of Southwestern Louisiana. Under that agreement, the Commission was to “control and operate the multi-purpose academic, athletic, civic and community assembly arena and convention center and surrounding land… known as the Cajundome.”

The commission was continued through subsequent revisions and agreement between the City (Now LCG) and the University (now ULL) until it expired on July 31, 2024. The anticipated departure of the parties from the agreement led to legislation by former Senator Jean-Paul Cousson in the 2024 regular session, which enshrined the commission into state law, continuing its existence. So we already have a body responsible for operating a multi-purpose academic, athletic, civic, and community assembly arena and convention center. Something LCVC should promote, rather than compete against.

A Departure From The Parish Park System

Another area that needs further examination is the park system in Lafayette. Traditionally, parks and recreation were a function of parish government in Lafayette. Louisiana law grants parish governing authorities broad discretion to enact ordinances related to parks, playgrounds, community centers, and other similar facilities. The law also grants the parish governing authorities broad discretion in creating recreation districts. But several years ago, municipalities began the process of establishing their own parks and recreation facilities as authorized by Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:4551.

For many years, it was the City of Carencro that possessed the “premier” sports (baseball/softball) facility in the parish, Pelican Park. Pelican Park opened its doors in 1985 as a joint venture of private individuals, including Herb Schilling. By 1994, the City of Carencro had obtained ownership and was operating the park.

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Downtown Development Authority

Recently, the Downtown Development Authority also became another anomaly in the park system. DDA initiated a venture to build the Parc San Souci playground downtown. What does DDA have to do with parks, recreation, and playgrounds? Well, nothing other than meddling outside their sphere of authority. The DDA was created in 1983 with the sole purpose of halting property value deterioration in Downtown Lafayette, a mission they have failed miserably at. Had the DDA been successful, their funding source, property tax revenue, would have increased with any increasing property values. However, because they have not been successful, they have raised property taxes above the statutorily authorized ceiling. The result is more businesses leaving downtown, and the government (which doesn’t pay property taxes) purchasing those vacated properties. See the vicious cycle?

There was also the property on the north side of Lafayette, near Moss Street and Louisiana Avenue, which was purchased by the School Board in 2021. Remember the plans for that property? To build a multi-sports facility that several schools and the community could use. And to drive economic development! Yes, economic development is now also a part of the role of our public education system. They are doing so well with the education part that they have decided to expand into other ventures.

Youngsville and Broussard Eye Recreation Venues

The cities of Youngsville and Broussard in Lafayette Parish also began eyeing the development of their own recreational facilities. There were even talks about building a joint facility, but those talks were, of course, short-lived. Instead, both municipalities raised sales tax to fund these costly endeavors. Youngsville opened the doors of its sports complex in 2014, with Broussard following behind just three years later.

Both facilities were sold to the voters as not only being quality recreational facilities for the growing residents, but also as revenue makers. Yet, both facilities still require substantial amounts of annual taxpayer subsidies just to continue operating. The same year that Youngsville opened the doors of its sports complex, it also adopted an ordinance establishing a hotel occupancy tax. But the much-anticipated hotel industry never came. Why does LCVC think their venture will be any different?

If the building of state-of-the-art sports complexes is all that is necessary to drive tourism to Lafayette Parish, why haven’t we already seen the boom? And why is LCVC, whose sole statutory purpose is the “promotion of tourism,” seeking to build yet another costly sports complex instead of promoting the facilities already in its jurisdiction? Did Broussard, Carencro, Youngsville, and the Cajundome Commission all get it wrong, and LCVC somehow has a better plan?

When Everyone Is Responsible, No One Is Accountable

Who is responsible for parks, recreation, and athletic facilities in our communities? The parish where I live? Yes. The municipality where I live? Maybe. The Cajundome Commission? Certainly. The Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission? Absolutely not! Again, the job of LCVC is to promote tourism. Like so much of government, instead of focusing on the core mission, LCVC is now looking to encroach on the mission of others.

In doing so, LCVC, instead of promoting tourism parish-wide, is making itself a direct competitor with cities such as Broussard, Carencro, Youngsville, and the Cajundome. Not to mention private facilities like Red Lerille’s Health and Racquet Club or the Lafayette Pickleball Club. In fact, LCVC may be placing themselves in direct competition with local retail businesses or enterprises, which is a violation of state law. A study conducted in November of 2022 made it clear that “there are multiple competitors throughout Louisiana that are well established in the national sports tourism space.”

That same study referred to “political and community silos,” stating that “throughout the parish, there are numerous government entities that service the sports and events space. As many of the individual communities in the parish have their own mayors, Councils, budgets, plans, and procedures, the opportunity exists for the entities to act independently without communication. This lack of a cohesive plan can result in redundant programming, facilities, and projects.” Instead of fulfilling its core function by promoting tourism to these areas, LCVC seeks to create yet another facility. Disregard the warning of their being no cohesive plan.

Get off my lawn!

They will say that what they’re doing is different! It is unique from other facilities and will yield different outcomes. This will result in increased tourism and additional government revenues. Yeah, yeah, yeah! We have heard it all before. Even if all they were to be true, the LCVC has no business getting involved in such an endeavor. Its purpose is promotion, not direct competition. When will our legislature learn that every government body it creates will eventually extend its tentacles outside the legislative framework and become a leach on society and the tax payers? Perhaps they already know this. Which is why they keep creating them.

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