St. George, Louisiana

St. George, Louisiana, is moving to build a public indoor sports facility off Airline Highway, intended to host basketball and volleyball tournaments and other large-scale events drawing visitors from across the region. As a first step, city officials are proposing an Economic Development District (EDD) covering about 55 acres near Airline Highway and Antioch Road, close to the Long Farm Village Subdivision. The district would allow the city to levy new sales and hotel occupancy taxes, with revenue reinvested into the facility and surrounding development such as restaurants and hotels.

Mayor Dustin Yates said the city would own the facility, though other partners will be announced later, and no construction timeline has been set. The proposal will be introduced at Tuesday's City Council meeting, with public comment and a vote scheduled for Oct. 13. Officials cite the region's youth sports tourism, which generated an estimated $37 million in economic impact for Baton Rouge in 2024, as justification for the investment.