UL's plan to offer a bachelor's degree in cinema studies could be the critical link in the city's plans to lure the entertainment industry here.

In June, City-Parish President Joey Durel announced the city would start an entertainment initiative and tapped local actor Marcus Brown to lead it.

"The Lafayette Entertain-ment Initiative is currently recruiting projects to Lafayette and the first two things they want to know are: Do we have the available locations we need, then 'What's your crew base like?' " Brown said. "A bachelor's degree program lets the industry know that the community is serious about the entertainment industry."

On Friday, the University of Louisiana System approved UL's plans to offer the new bachelor's degree, but it awaits final approval from the Board of Regents.

The degree program won't cost UL any money to get the program started - a key factor that the university hopes will give the program wings with the Board of Regents.

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Marsha Sills
msills@theadvertiser.com