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S u n d ay, au g u S t 2, 2026
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SpaceX planning La. spaceport
Prospective deal would transform state’s coastal southwest BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL, ALEX LUBBEN and ADAM DAIGLE Staff writers
Louisiana is in the final stages of a deal to bring Elon Musk’s SpaceX to coastal Vermilion Parish, where the aerospace giant is planning to build a new spaceport that will launch rockets into orbit from an
18-mile stretch of marshland about 45 miles southwest of Lafayette. The prospective deal, which has been rumored for months, would forever transform the remote area by bringing potentially thousands of jobs and a massive influx of aerospace and other commercial activity to the remote coastal community.
The site for the planned facility, known as Pecan Island, is at the center of a complex settlement agreement resolving dozens of coastal lawsuits that blame ExxonMobil for pollution and land loss. According to a source with firsthand knowledge of the agreement who was not at liberty to speak publicly, the settlement will in-
volve SpaceX receiving control of the land, some 130,000 acres in all, whether through a sale, long-term lease or other type of arrangement. The deal, which is expected to be announced this month by Gov. Jeff Landry, will be the latest economic development coup for an administration that has attracted
Bridge toll companies faced lawsuits, concerns
‘We’re learning from their mistakes,’ Lake Charles lawmaker says
deals of unprecedented size and scale to the state, including one of the world’s largest AI data centers, some of its largest LNG export terminals and a major new steel mill. Those deals, touted by the Landry administration as badly needed job creators, are raising concerns from environmental advocates, who are questioning their impact on the state’s environment
ä See SPACEPORT, page 4A
LSU racing to raise millions in new sports era From privatization to private equity deals, options abound BY ALYSE PFEIL and JON BLAU Staff writers
STAFF FILE PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK
The companies responsible for tolling once construction finishes on the new Interstate 10 Calcasieu River Bridge have been mired in controversy over problems with their tolling infrastructure on the Belle Chasse Bridge. BY COURTNEY PEDERSEN and MEGAN WYATT
A BRIDGE TOO STEEP
Staff writers
The companies responsible for tolling once construction finishes on the new Interstate 10 Calcasieu River Bridge have been mired in controversy over problems with their tolling infrastructure on another south Louisiana bridge, leading to lawsuits and questions from public officials about the state’s continued partnership with them. Public infrastructure company Plenary and tolling operator Kapsch’s work on the Belle Chasse Bridge in Plaquemines Parish prompted widespread complaints from residents after it opened
Fourth in an occasional series about the Lake Charles I-10 bridge
ish and a group of residents. In the meantime, Louisiana has moved forward with the same two companies as the lead developer and tolling operator for the I-10 bridge in Lake Charles, which broke STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD ground in April and is expected to finish construction The new bridge over the Industrial Canal in Belle Chasse is in 2031. The Lake Charles seen on May 6, 2025. bridge’s toll would be the only required one on I-10 spanlast year, who said the toll- state officials suspended toll- ning the nation’s east to west ing system frequently mal- ing last October on the Belle coasts. Lake Charles bridge project functioned and led to locals Chasse Bridge while the state receiving fee bills as high and companies faced lawas $7,000. Under pressure, suits from Plaquemines Par- ä See CONCERNS, page 9A
LSU will convene its biggest sports donors this week in two closed-door meetings at the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion to discuss “the future of LSU athletics” and propose an “alternative revenuegenerating opportunity” that university leaders say could “change the future of college sports in America.” What exactly that means isn’t clear because officials say their plan will be made public after getting feedback from donors. What the meeting portends for LSU and major college athletics, however, is better understood. Division I schools have faced “absolute financial pressure” ever since a recent NCAA legal settlement allowed them to pay upward of $20.5 million to studentathletes each year, said Kathryn KisskaSchulze, a sports tax scholar and professor of business and law at Clemson University. “Major athletic departments have become so financially stressed that they are actively searching for revenue models that did not exist in college sports even just a couple of years ago,” she said. A range of solutions are being implemented. The University of Kentucky moved to privatize its athletic department in 2025 to break free of the revenue-generating strictures of public institutions. The University of Utah opted for a private equity deal to inject more cash into its athletic programs. LSU, which is under tremendous financial pressure, is also looking for a fix. It’s rumored that LSU’s 2026 football roster, constructed by first-year coach
ä See LSU, page 6A
Acadiana Symphony’s new season ‘spectacular’ BY JA’KORI MADISON
Staff writer
“Spectacular” is how Matthew Kraemer describes the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming 2026-27 season as he steps into a new role as conductor of the season. Filled with immersive performances and new efforts to bring
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in first-time concertgoers, Kraemer said Season 42 represents a broader shift in how the Acadiana Symphony hopes audiences experience what attending the orchestra looks and feels like. “I think that there’s something for everybody,” Kraemer said. “Every program will be something that people will remember for many years to come.”
The season blends traditional performances such as Beethoven and the Bayou with popular performances including “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in concert, Sinatra and Beyond at Moncus Park and the world premiere of “A Cajun Night Before Christmas.” Several concerts will also feature visual elements designed to create a more immersive
experience. Also, this is the first time the orchestra will introduce $10 balcony tickets for many performances, which is an effort aimed at making the symphony more accessible to audiences who may have never considered attending a symphony.
ä See SYMPHONY, page 6A
PROVIDED PHOTO By LSU ATHLETICS
LSU was one of the first schools to line up a jersey sponsor, Woodside Energy. The university did not disclose the value of its seven-year patch deal when it was announced in February.
Business ......................1E Faith .............................4D Nation-World ................2A Classified .....................2B Inspired ........................5D Opinion ........................4B Deaths .........................2B Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C
102ND yEAR, NO. 33