[StBernard] Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco announces plans for Louisiana International Speedway

[Westley Annis]

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco announces plans for Louisiana International Speedway

BATON ROUGE - Today Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, in conjunction with Louisiana Economic Development (LED) and sports developer Jerry Lowrie, announced plans for a $100 million multi-purpose motor sports racing facility to be built in Tangipahoa Parish near Kentwood, La. Dubbed Louisiana International Speedway (LIS), the project is expected to generate between 600 and 800 jobs and break ground this summer. 

"I am very pleased to welcome a sports facility of this caliber to Louisiana. This facility will not only create jobs and host world class motor sports events - it could also potentially double as a disaster relief location," said Governor Blanco. "A race track is essentially a self-contained city with its own power source, medical center and security force and we look forward to this valuable asset in the future."

Planned for a 1,500-acre parcel immediately west of Interstate 55, the motor sports park will feature a one-mile oval asphalt! paved track, a quarter-mile drag strip and a drag boat racing course. LIS officials anticipate events such as stock car racing, National Hot Rod Association drag racing and International Hot Boat Association events to be contested at the motor sports park. Concerts, festivals and other events are also part of the plans for the multi-purpose facility. The first event is expected in the fall of 2008.

Jerry Lowrie, president/founder of Louisiana International Speedway, is a California-based developer with a broad vision for this project. "We have been working on this project for a couple of years and after doing a considerable amount of research we have concluded that this part of the country is an excellent location for this type of sports facility. Governor Blanco and Senator Ben Nevers have been instrumental in making this happen. I can't thank them enough for the help that they have given us," said Lowrie. "I have assembled a team of professionals who are e! ach the best in their respective fields to build the best motor sports facility possible."

"A facility that brings thousands of people into Tangipahoa Parish from the surrounding states will certainly have a very strong economic impact on our communities. We are looking forward to this project coming to fruition," said Bob Basford, executive director of Tangipahoa Economic Development Foundation. 

The Louisiana International Speedway is a privately held company with plans to open offices in nearby Kentwood with a sales office in New Orleans.
<http://www.gov.state.la.us/assets/docs/Vetomessage072007-2.pdf> 
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The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
Louisiana's Fund for Louisiana's People
www.louisianahelp.org