NBA DRAFT: The Pelicans are on the outside looking in 1B
ADVOCATE THE
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
|
M o n d ay, J u n e 22, 2026
THE
STEELAPPEAL
DONALDSONVILLE
$2.00X
New tax district would aid BR sports complex owners of nearby land concerned about eminent domain BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER
staff writer
Baton Rouge’s Elite Training Academy has hopes to expand its footprint to add more than a dozen baseball fields, a stadium and more, aided partially by a new economic development district near Burbank Drive and Lee Drive approved by the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council earlier this year. On July 1, an additional 2% sales tax will be collected in the Bayou Fountain Economic Development District’s
boundary, along with another 2% tax at any hotel that is built in the area. But before then, the council will take a procedural vote Wednesday to remit that tax revenue back to the district and rebate taxes involved in any Elite expansion back to the training academy. While Elite’s owners and some city officials are excited about the plans for growth, some members of a family that owns vacant property the company is trying to buy for the expansion are raising concerns. One of the family members says the land isn’t for sale and should be taken out of the district. She also said she is concerned about the government taking the family’s property
ä see COMPLEX, page 3A
sTAFF PHoTos By MICHAEL JoHNsoN
An empty Railroad Avenue extends from Mississippi street in the historic downtown of Donaldsonville. Longtime residents can remember a time when the streets of downtown were bustling with shoppers.
small town sees early signs of growth as Hyundai plant brings investment to community staff writer
Lewis Savoie remembers walking the streets of downtown Donaldsonville when Railroad Avenue was bustling with shoppers. “There were cars up and down both sides of the avenue. And it was a quaint little town,” he said, picturing the city nearly 40 years ago. “And today, that’s not so much.” Now 64 and the owner of Cane Sugar Toffee Co., Savoie looks out the storefront window onto quieter streets. Most of downtown Donaldsonville’s historic brick buildings sit vacant, with cracked windows, dark interiors and for-sale signs. But just a few miles away, one of the largest industrial projects in Louisiana is taking shape. Hyundai Steel’s planned $5.8 billion facility is expected to bring thousands of jobs and longterm investment into the region. As work on the project moves forward, business owners, investors and city leaders are betting that Donaldsonville could be on the verge of a revival.
ä see STEEL, page 4A
WEATHER HIGH 93 LOW 77 PAGE 10C
sTAFF FILE PHoTo By HILARy sCHEINUK
young athletes play a game of pickup football in the indoor field at the Elite Training facility in Baton Rouge.
BY ANNAKATE FREELAND
Ratepayers may foot the bill for buying Texas power plant PsC report says plan benefits Meta, but Entergy cites state’s rising demand A delivery worker from Ten M Vending makes a delivery along Mississippi street.
“We had no idea these plants were going to be doing what they’re doing. The growth and the magnitude of them. It’s taking our little business to unbelievable places. We have customers from all over the world coming in here, and it’s really helped us.” LEWIs sAVoIE, owner of Cane sugar Toffee Co.
BY SAM KARLIN staff writer
Entergy Louisiana’s plans to buy a gas-fired power plant for $1.8 billion are drawing concerns from a consultant for the state’s Public Service Commission who recently warned in a report that the plant is unreliable and needed mostly because of Meta’s massive north Louisiana data center.
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If approved, the acquisition would cost Entergy Louisiana’s average residential customer roughly $8 a month, according to documents Entergy filed in the case. The fate of the plant in southeast Texas will be decided at the state Public Service Commission, which will hear arguments about it over the next few months.
ä see PLANT, page 4A
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