Harlan Kirgan
Planned development on the Evangeline Downs property in Opelousas has been stalled by COVID-19, according to Bill Rodier, St. Landry Parish Economic Development executive director.
Boyd Gaming, which owns Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino, shutdown in March when coronavirus restrictions were ordered by Gov. John Bel Edwards, he said.
Rodier was speaking at a St. Landry Parish Council meeting on Oct. 21 in Opelousas.
Rodier said there is a four-part plan for the 660-acre Evangeline Downs site.
The plan includes:
— A community and cultural development on the north side;
– A retail and restaurant row on the frontage road corner;
— A multipurpose facility on the south side of the casino-racetrack; and
— A recreational vehicle park on the east side of the track.
The original plan was to develop the multipurpose facility at a cost up to $20 million. The facility, which was planned as the first development, will be the last, he said.
A consultant recommended other phase go before the multipurpose facility, he said.
There is need to get other commercial developments going to provide tax revenue, he said.
Boyd Gaming has 27 other properties in the United States and about 25,000 employees, he said. When the shutdowns occurred to slow the spread of the virus, the company put a stop to developments.
“We had at least a six-month lull in this process,” Rodier said.
Negotiations with restaurants also stopped when COVID hit, he said. “As you know, restaurants have been killed by COVID.”
Rodier said, “Everybody is nervous in investing in projects at the same capacity as they were in January.”
Rodier said Evangeline Downs is operating with 90% of the revenues it had before the virus struck.
Rodier also was called upon to explain development along Interstate 49 in Opelousas.
“Think about what Harry Guilbeau Road looked like three years ago. It was pasture. Look at it now,” he said.
There are has LED lighting, two additional vehicle dealerships and multiple health care facilities, he said.
The Central St. Landry Economic Development District is in the process of developing a wastewater treatment plant, he said. Half of the plant construction is through state capital outlay funding and the other half is from the district’s tax revenues, he said.
Engineer William Jarrell said the plan is for the city of Opelousas to own and operate the plant.
“The reason for that is the city is already in the sewerage business,” he said. The city has certified operators, he said. If the parish attempted to operate the plant it would have to find certified operators.
The facility is to be located on the northwest corner of Harry Guilbeau and I-49, said Wayne Ardoin, an Opelousas Parish Council member. The facility’s first phase would be to treat 150,000 gallons of wastewater daily and a second phase would double that capacity, he said.