The Baton Rouge Area Chamber’s five-year economic development initiative, The Campaign for a Greater Baton Rouge, aided 65 business relocations and expansions in the nine-parish area, resulting in 6,757 jobs and $2.4 billion in capital investment. The campaign wrapped up at the end of the 2010, which BRAC says was the best year of the campaign for business attraction and retention. Twenty project “wins” last year accounted for 782 jobs, $831 million in capital investment and $30 million in payroll, according to BRAC. The campaign was primarily funded via the private sector, whereby 120 businesses gave roughly $15 million.
“I think these results have shown that a sustained and effective collaboration of parish allies, our regional team and the state yields powerful outcomes,” says Adam Knapp, BRAC president/CEO. “Without embellishment, our region’s results have achieved top Southern and national rankings.”
BRAC is currently raising funds for its next five-year initiative, The Creative Capital Agenda. Of the $18 million it’s seeking to raise, Knapp says $15.4 million has been secured in commitments. The new initiative will expand upon The Campaign for a Greater Baton Rouge, with increased emphasis on entrepreneurial innovation, talent development and attraction of global corporations.
