(The Center Square) -Louisiana finalized a $1.4 million investment Wednesday to help build roads, utilities and other infrastructure for a proposed business park in Lafourche Parish, with developers required to repay the state by 2031.
Louisiana Economic Development has finalized a $1.4 million investment backing infrastructure development at the McLeod Business Park in Lafourche Parish, one of 16 sites spread around the state that are part of the FastSites initiative.
The funding is aimed at transforming 102 acres of farmland along Highway 308 in Lockport into a shovel-ready business park capable of accommodating commercial and light-industrial development. These infrastructure improvements include construction of public roads, turning lanes, improved drainage systems, and utility extensions.
The Louisiana economic development agency’s FastSites program works in parallel with Gov. Jeff Landry’s “Lightning Speed” initiative, which aims to ensure the state remains a competitor for global manufacturing and technology companies seeking to speed product development and production. When introducing the Lightning Speed program in September 2025, the governor said the state must eliminate red tape and move at the “speed of business” to attract industry.
“This project represents exactly why the Legislature created the Site Investment and Infrastructure Improvement Fund,” said Louisiana State Sen. Mike Fesi, whose District 20 includes Lafourche Parish. “By investing in infrastructure before companies make location decisions, Louisiana is giving communities like ours the tools they need to compete for transformative projects and the jobs that come with them.”
The McLeod Business Park will provide access to the Port of Fourchon corridor and it is also near U.S. Highway 90, Interstate 10, and the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The site can accommodate future multimodal connectivity with existing electric, water, natural gas, and telecommunications infrastructure and offers potential access to overseas export markets through Bayou Lafourche, according to the economic development agency.
“McLeod Business Park demonstrates what can happen when state, regional and local partners work together with a shared vision,” Louisiana State Rep. Joseph Orgeron said. “This investment strengthens the Bayou Region’s competitiveness today while creating opportunities that will benefit our communities for years to come.”
The state’s Bayou Region has recently attracted investments in advanced shipbuilding and autonomous maritime technology, and continued growth in the energy sector has increased demand for development-ready industrial sites capable of supporting business expansion, the economic development agency said.
“The Bayou Region has always been home to industries that build, move and power the world,” said Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois. “Today, that foundation is creating new opportunities in advanced manufacturing, maritime technology, aerospace, and energy. FastSites allows us to prepare communities before opportunity arrives, ensuring Louisiana has the sites, infrastructure, and readiness to compete for the industries shaping our future,” said Bourgeois.
The state’s agreement with the business park developers shows repayments are to begin in 2027 with the full $1.4 million investment repaid by August 2031.
