Lafayette Performing Arts Center - Battle

[RedTails]

Looks like Downtown and UL are battling for the performing arts center. Anyone keeping up with this? I think this is a huge fight behind the scenes to act on the University Master Plan (PDF pages 14-15).

Downtown's pitch: Proposed Downtown Lafayette Performing Arts Center Would Be Huge Catalyst For Growth, Study Shows

[lafman1]

Looks like Downtown and UL are battling for the performing arts center. Anyone keeping up with this? I think this is a huge fight behind the scenes to act on the University Master Plan (PDF pages 14-15).

Downtown's pitch: Proposed Downtown Lafayette Performing Arts Center Would Be Huge Catalyst For Growth, Study Shows

According to reports the location is already a done deal. Congress@Cajundome Boulevard

[mxpxfr690]

The city should try to rally around the university on this.

[Cajunrunner]

I’m sorry, but the time for these Downtown Do-gooders to care about downtown Lafayette being “vibrant” was the 90s timeframe.

It didn’t happen. Do some cities Lafayette’s size have nice and better downtowns? Sure. Does that alone define those cities? No.

They need to work with the local R1 university rather than against it. Of course, Martin Hall needs to actually do its part as well, which I’m afraid isn’t always happening. Certainly not in athletics promotion.

[ZoomZoom]

Downtown was really vibrant in the 50’s. That’s why we have the Evangeline Thruway. Government has been propping it up since the Northgate Mall was built.

[RaginCajun77]

Placing this facility in Downtown would be a major error in judgement. The proposed location in the article would require parking garages to be built and add to that poor traffic flow in the area and this would be a recipe for gridlock.

To truly re-develop Downtown Lafayette, you would need a boat load of cash to purchase current properties and redevelop them, while also adding a significant amount of parking. There is simply too much property available in other areas of the city to make this kind of investment in Downtown Lafayette.

[ZoomZoom]

Has the LCG council signed off on this yet? Or is this another I’m doing this thing?

[RaginCajun77]

Has the LCG council signed off on this yet? Or is this another I’m doing this thing?

https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana...5495f28a2.html

Looks like it needed to be approved the UL System, unfortunately the meeting referenced in the article has no notes on the UL system website.

[CajunEXPRESS]

How is this a good thing for UL? Exactly what benefits will UL get. They get our ever more valuable and scarce land and we get what? This is an LSU town, I’m sure local LSU donors can help them out with land acquisition.

[Turbine]

Boy those downtowners sure did pull a fast one by pretending they wanted the PAC

[RedTails]

How is this a good thing for UL? Exactly what benefits will UL get. They get our ever more valuable and scarce land and we get what? This is an LSU town, I’m sure local LSU donors can help them out with land acquisition.

If you take a look at the Master Plan I linked in the OP, a performing arts center at that location has been a vision of the master plan for more than a decade. It will hopefully spur development around that area (again take a look at the master plan). A renovated Cajun Field and a new state-of-the-art performing arts center would be great for that area of campus.

[HoustonCajun]

How is this a good thing for UL? Exactly what benefits will UL get. They get our ever more valuable and scarce land and we get what? This is an LSU town, I’m sure local LSU donors can help them out with land acquisition.

Build an entertainment zone around it, Cajun Field and the Cajundome as a year round entertainment area with bars, restaurants and shops. I believe that was initially proposed by Stephen Oubre a few years ago.

[CajunEXPRESS]

It’s not going to put a single rebar into a renovated Cajun Field. Regardless of master plans I’m still at a loss as to what more retail on UL property does for athletics or academics.

We’ve seen the Cajun Dome in direct competition for fan dollars with Cajun football. We’ve seen Mardi Gras push baseball to the side. We’ve seen auto shows at making millions of dollars in sales for parish tax coffers at Cajun Field parking lot.

Time makes land more valuable and it can’t be replaced. Are we to remain a 20K student university for another 30 years or perhaps double that population. I’m not seeing direct benefits that in fact limit this university’s growth. Perhaps in the future the vast majority of students will in fact simply be in virtual classes instead of on campus but I believe there will always be
more value in on campus learning.

[Cajun Monkee]

According to reports the location is already a done deal. Congress@Cajundome Boulevard

Interstate 49 connector,

Camellia Boulevard bridge

South City Parkway

Widening of any road or improvement of any intersection.

It’s who we are. And now we have gone beyond NIMBY and BANANA.

I have no idea what the acronym is, but now, here, in Lafayette, Louisiana, we are at the point that if it’s a cool idea and you’re not gonna build it next to me then don’t build it at all.

We have the potential for building an arts and entertainment District around the Cajun Dome Boulevard and Bertrand Dr. Corridor.

By all means, why let a good idea, get in the way of the rampant parochialism that exists in our area

[60swerethebest]

I think UL would get to use the performance center for selected performances. Help our students perform with more modern equipment and much better acoustics. Helps anchor the retail part of master plan. I do like idea of a smaller performance center downtown. Traffic is a major concern.