Mayor Broome Announces Proposed Next Steps for River Center and Headquarters Hotel Strategy

Baton Rouge, LA - April 12, 2024 - Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome today provided the Metropolitan Council with her proposed plan for next steps in developing a new River Center and complementary headquarters hotel. This proposal follows the Metropolitan Council's March 13, 2024 approval of an ordinance directing the mayor to identify strategies for developing additional convention capacity and soliciting a developer to develop a convention hotel.

The proposed strategy, which will be considered before the Metropolitan Council at a later date, is available for public viewing at https://brla.gov/rivercenterproposal. Mayor Broome made a commitment to the Metropolitan Council to provide these proposed next steps within 30 days of the passage of the ordinance: https://www.brla.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19187/METRO-COUNCIL. Mayor Broome urges the public to review the proposal and offer comments and feedback by emailing [email protected], and emailing their representative Metropolitan Council member.

Under the approved ordinance, the Mayor's proposal must go to the Metropolitan Council for public hearing and approval prior to proceeding with design and construction of an improved River Center and headquarters hotel. Mayor Broome's proposal includes the creation of a Project Oversight Committee by the Metropolitan Council, made up of key stakeholders from downtown Baton Rouge and throughout the parish, including the District 10 Metropolitan Councilmember who will serve as the committee chairperson, along with another Metropolitan Councilmember appointed by the Metro Council, and designees representing the Mayor-President's office, Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Build Baton Rouge, Downtown Development District, the hospitality industry, North Baton Rouge Economic Development District, and Visit Baton Rouge.

Mayor Broome's proposal also calls for a project manager team consisting of development and finance professionals to assist the Metropolitan Council and its Project Oversight Committee with preparing the requests for proposals for the design and construction phases of this project.

Throughout the process, each phase and detail of the proposal will be subject to approval by the Metropolitan Council and include public input at every stage. Please email your comments to [email protected] and the Metropolitan Council. Mayor Broome's office will announce open house-style public meetings for East Baton Rouge Parish residents in the near future.