Baton Rouge: It’s time to wake up, look in the mirror, and ask, “Why not us?”
Right now, we’re standing at a crossroads, and the choices we make today will define the future for generations. Do we keep doing what we’ve always done—playing it safe, thinking small, and settling for less? Or do we grab this moment by the horns and aim for greatness? Baton Rouge has missed too many opportunities in the past. I say it’s time to THINK BIG.
Transformation is right in front of us. These aren’t just fancy ideas or pipe dreams—they’re real, actionable steps toward making our city a magnet for opportunity, growth and pride. Imagine LSU with a new arena bringing in world-class concerts. Picture the River Center with a vibrant convention hotel downtown, buzzing with life. Envision Memorial Stadium transformed into a premier venue for major sports tournaments. These are the kinds of moves that tell the world that Baton Rouge is open for business—and recreation.
But it doesn’t stop there. Plan Baton Rouge III has the potential to completely revitalize our downtown—bringing new housing, a dynamic riverfront and stronger infrastructure. It’s the next step in a journey that’s already attracted billions in investment. Now it’s our turn to push harder and make this city the place people want to be. But it won’t be easy.
There is no doubt it will take lots of collaboration and private-public partnerships. But with bold leadership, it can happen.
Here’s the deal: We need to stop thinking like a small town and start acting like the capital city we are. Why not have an education system where every kid has the tools to succeed? Why not build entertainment venues that attract the best in the business? Why not be one of the safest cities in America? Why not invest in research at LSU and Southern to make us a leader in innovation? Why not have a riverfront that attracts conventions and thousands of tourists? And what about a signature park on the lakes in the heart of Baton Rouge?
Take a look at our cover story this month—cities like Louisville, Madison, Knoxville, Columbus and Greenville are proof that transformation is possible with bold vision and relentless execution. In each of these places, leaders across government, private industry and public organizations stepped up, aligned their efforts, and took charge of shaping their futures. They made bold moves, took risks, and now they’re thriving. Baton Rouge, it’s time for our leaders to rise to the occasion and for all of us to step up and own our future.
The doubters will always be there. Let them watch from the sidelines while we do the hard work. Change takes guts, grit, vision and serious collaboration. This is our moment. Let’s stop settling. Let’s start building. It’s time to THINK BIG and build a solid groundwork for generations to come.
The best is yet to come!