Several prominent Lafayette groups are asking the City Council to ensure there's public input into any decisions made about a new performing arts center.
The Guillory administration has made recent announcements indicating they're negotiating with UL and Ochsner Lafayette General about selling the Heymann Center for the Performing Arts and building a new center elsewhere.
But these groups — Acadiana Center for the Arts, Downtown Lafayette Unlimited, Basin Arts, the Lafayette branch of the NAACP, Black Folks Talking, Pride Opportunity Developers, LLC., and Performing Arts Serving Acadiana — say they want to be sure the community that will be using the building has some say in what it looks like and where it is located.
"Our organizations and stakeholders, like many others, are excited about the momentum that is building for the investment in a new performing arts center and the potential cultural, economic development, and quality of life impact of this catalytic investment. This is potentially one of the largest single public investments in the history of Lafayette," a letter from the groups to the City Council states. "As such, it brings the possibility of creating a major economic development impact in both Lafayette and the Acadiana region. What a game-changing opportunity to enhance our quality of life! As the council, you are the final decision makers on behalf of LCG. You decide what land will be secured, what city money will be spent, if any new tax revenue will be needed, and who can enter into agreements related to operations.
"While we support maximizing options related to the new performing arts center, as UL is set to do later this week, please do not allow this necessary but preliminary step for that site lead us to not consider additional site options using a process that we recommend below."
The groups are asking the council to include the following in any process:
- A round of broad public input about the facility needs and uses to ensure this project can provide the most benefit possible
- A robust site selection process that includes a public call for site locations with specific parameters needed for a successful project
- A site-by-site economic impact assessment that details the likely private sector impact and impacts to the property and sales tax bases that will result from the project
The groups say they're ready to assist the council in any efforts along those lines.
The letter comes just days after the Guillory administration issued a press release stating that a deal had been cut with UL for some property near the Cajundome for a new center. That release you can read below, just scroll past today's letter.
Here's the actual letter from the groups, so you can read it for yourself:
And here's the Guillory Administration's press release:
