Lake Charles, Louisiana - The City of Lake Charles has been recognized as the newest Louisiana Development Ready Community (LDRC) by the Louisiana Economic Development (LED) organization. This prestigious designation marks the 27th active parish or municipality to join the program, which aims to guide communities in creating and implementing strategic economic development plans.

Launched in 2008, the LDRC program helps communities become more competitive for new investment and job opportunities. By leveraging local assets and addressing unique challenges, participants can empower business growth in their communities over multiple years. The program is designed to promote economic development at the local level, ultimately enhancing competitiveness statewide.

"LED recognizes that economic development begins at the local level, and we are proud to welcome Lake Charles as our newest Louisiana Development Ready Community," said Ileana Ledet, LED Chief Economic Competitiveness Officer. "When we empower individual communities through programs like LDRC, we are not only strengthening local economies but enhancing competitiveness statewide. Congratulations to Lake Charles on this achievement."

To obtain the LDRC designation, the city collaborated with a committee of local business and community leaders and worked closely with LED to conduct a thorough community assessment. They surveyed both residents and businesses to identify and prioritize goals based on existing strategic plans. In addition, the city established new economic development objectives for Lake Charles.

In conjunction with this initiative, LED will continue to offer support and resources to assist the city in achieving its goals.

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter expressed his pride in the city's achievement, stating, "Our year began with Lake Charles being named a city on the rise by Southern Living Magazine, and it is ending with news of us being certified as a Louisiana Development Ready Community. These are two achievements we are extremely proud of, and we are honored to have both as feathers in our cap." Mayor Hunter added, "Being an LDRC reaffirms to developers and investors that we are open for business, and we look forward to new opportunities for economic development and growth as a result of this esteemed designation."

George Swift, President and CEO of the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance, also praised the city's achievement. "Being a Development Ready Community is another step forward in preparing Lake Charles for future growth and investment," Swift said. "This comprehensive evaluation provided by LED helps position the city to better compete for new opportunities and sustained excellence. The Alliance believes that good strategic planning is a key aspect of successful economic development."

For additional details about the LDRC program, please visit the LED website or reach out to Stacey Duvic, the Senior Director of Community Competitiveness at LED. You can contact her via email at [email protected] or by phone at 225-342-4703.