WHY Baker District
Why was the Baker Economic Development District & Convention Center Renamed? The name of the district was changed from Bethany Convention Center Development District to the -Baker Economic Development District and Convention Center to expand the focus geographically beyond the original location that only included properties within the intersection of Lavey Lane and Plank Road. The Board also considered with a well-developed strategy that by broadening the boundaries, this would increase the quantity of new business and economic opportunities, resulting in a greater economic impact and growth. The new name now also offers opportunities to include a branding and marketing campaign that showcases a distinctive image and sense of community, pride and badge of honor for the Baker Economic Development District & Convention Center.
What is the District working on?
The districtâs first major initiative is to do a comprehensive community development plan, site development, and surveying. This plan will include a fusion of vibrant energy brought about by creating an âexciting rural renewal experienceâ, some recreational areas, shopping with a business-friendly hotel, restaurants, and easy access to transportation are all potentially great uses of land within the district. The District plans to provide a convenience of amenities available to local residents, the retired community, students from the nearby campus, and tourists. As the first of several new developments, this project hopes to transform the Baker/Plank Road site into the preferred venue for celebratory gatherings and serve as a catalyst to launching added economic growth in Baker and, in the northern part of East Baton Rouge Parish.
Renderings sketches drawings of the proposed projects for Phase I
Link for PDF: 2010%2021%20(2).pdf
The Final Report of BEDDCC with surveys about Phase I.
How can I find out more about the District?
A key component of the Baker Economic Development District & Convention Center is outreach to local businesses and the community to ensure public involvement in the planning process. The Districtâs Board of Commissioners will facilitate a series of meetings, workshops and focus groups -networking events and incorporate the communityâs vision into a final reporting for the plan/economic development for the Council District 2 and the City of Baker and East Baton Rouge Parish.
Living in EBR Parish (benefits of living in EBR)
There are many benefits of living in East Baton Rouge Parish. There are many residential areas located in EBR. There are also two universities, Southern University and A&M College and Louisiana State University, located in close proximity. There are many amenities and entertainment places such as the BRECC Zoo, the Mall of Louisiana, as well as many local entertainment spots located in the hub of the city. The Zachary School District has been ranked as top schools in Louisiana for many years. Living here is affordable, transportation throughout the city is affordable and reliable, such as the CATS bus system, Ubers, and lyfts.
Link to EBR website here
Living in BAKER and a link to Bakerâs Website
Baker, Louisiana has a very rich culture and much potential. Baker and Scotlandville are in North Baton Rouge. They house several residential areas. There are a few major employers such as ExxonMobil and Turner Industries. These plants are the first thing that people know about when talking about Baker and Scotlandville but there is much more to these areas that meets the eye. For starters there is the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport here that leads down to Plank Road. Which houses some of the favorite local places to eat such as Tonyâs Seafood and Sugar Belle Bakery (Roberts,2021). There is also Baker regional Shopping Center and La Petite Shopping Center for when people want to go shopping and have a leisure day (Mindat, 2021). Baker has three parks, Jefferson Park, Baker Park, and Harding Park, that tourists and locals enjoy visiting. For those people who enjoy golfing, Baker is in close proximity to the golf courses, Dumas Memorial, Clark Park, and J.S Clark Memorial. Another place that is ever so special to Baker is its Heritage Museum that holds many vital things about bakerâs history and still has some of the original buildings from the first decade of this century, such as the Cushman House. Baker also has vacant, rich land such as where one of the first Historically Black College and Universities, Leland University, used to be before it closed in 1960. The Baker Chamber of Commerce is doing a great job to aid small businesses and other firms with establishing development within these cities. They are partnering with the state to expand broadband connectivity to further economic development understanding how important internet and Wi-Fi has become to the economy because of the pandemic. Baker has been one of the most famous and largest printing companies since 1962. It has received many awards such as from the Printing Industry Association, Printing Association of the South, Plainwell Paper Company, and Strathmore Paper Company. Baker printing is not also contributing to the economy, they are also contributing to the community by donating and sponsoring many events to give back to the community.
Impact in EBR Parish (Talk about the Zoo here in a video and EXXON, etc.)
The BRECC Zoo is one of the main attractions in Baker. It is located off of Thomas Road. It was originally imagined in 1970. About 200,000 people visit it each year. It not only serves as a form of entertainment for the family it also has educational uses such as community outreach programs, reading programs, day camps, weekend classes, teacher workshops, on-site live animal and artifacts encounters and demonstrations.
Link to the Zoo here
