Economic alliance forms
LAFAYETTE — Chambers of commerce and economic development groups in the Acadiana and Lake Charles areas have announced plans to form a “super region” for economic development.
The Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, the Lafayette Economic Development Authority, the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance in Lake Charles and others are scheduled to meet in Crowley on Friday to sign a pact creating the Greater Southwest Louisiana Super Region.
“I think we need to grow up and realize we are in a global economy. The days of being parochial are behind us,” Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce President Rob Guidry said.
In particular, Guidry touted the value of having a united front when working the halls of the Legislature or Congress.
He said the effort to combine forces is in line with a growing trend toward large regional economic development alliances.
Several of the chambers of commerce and economic development agencies in Acadiana came together about four years ago to form the Acadiana Regional Alliance.
In the Lake Charles area, the chamber of commerce and economic development officials all work under the umbrella of one group — The Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance.
Alliance Director George Swift said in a news release that “effective economic development is dependent on collaboration, rather than competition among communities within a region.”
Guidry said the idea of the new regional alliance grew out of a coalition that developed three years ago to keep southwest Louisiana in the same congressional district when there was talk of drawing a new district that might have put Lake Charles in the same district as portions of north Louisiana.
A major shift of district lines was needed to account for the reduction of Louisiana’s congressional seats from seven to six because of sluggish population growth.
The current redistricting plan keeps all of southwest Louisiana in one district by combining portions of the districts now represented by U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, and U.S. Rep. Jeff Landry, R-New Iberia.
“We realized that by working together, we could do more than independently,” Guidry said.
The new super region takes in Lafayette and Calcasieu parishes along with Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Cameron, Evangeline, Iberia, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary and Vermilion parishes, according to a news release announcing the new alliance.