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HI, I AM JEFFERSON PARISH PRESIDENT CYNTHIA LEE SHANG.
IT'S NATIONAL SPORTS DAY, AND I WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AN EXCITING UPDATE ON OUR RECREATION REIMAGINED INITIATIVE AND OUR GROWING SPORTS TOURISM INDUSTRY HERE IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
IN EARLY 2022, OUR JEFFERSON PARISH PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT STARTED LOOKING AT WAYS TO REIMAGINE RECREATION BY MOVING AWAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH AND NOT DOING THE SAME TEMPLATE ACROSS 27 PLAYGROUNDS.
THAT MODEL NO LONGER SERVED OUR COMMUNITY WITH AN AGING POPULATION AND SHIFTING RECREATION TRENDS.
WE STARTED TO SPECIALIZE INFRASTRUCTURE IN ONE AREA FOR ONE SPORT.
THIS ALLOWED US TO ATTRACT REGIONAL AND NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS THAT MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR ECONOMY.
WITH OUT OF TOWN PARTICIPANTS STAYING IN OUR HOTELS, EATING AT OUR RESTAURANTS, AND SHOPPING AT OUR STORES, IT'S ESTIMATED THAT UNITED STATES FAMILIES SPEND BETWEEN 30 TO $40 BILLION A YEAR ON YOUTH SPORTS, AND MUCH OF THAT IS ON TRAVEL.
WE'RE CAPTURING THAT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY BY PUTTING JEFFERSON PARISH ON THE MAP AS A TOP TIER DESTINATION FOR SPORTS TOURISM.
IT'S RECREATION WITH A RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
WITH THE HELP OF OUR JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL DIRECTING MONEY AND PARTNERING WITH VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, WE'RE UPDATING OUR RECREATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOSTING EVENTS THAT BRING IN ATHLETES, FANS, AND FAMILIES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND EVEN AROUND THE WORLD.
FROM ADDING NEW YOUTH SPORTS LIKE LACROSSE AND BOXING TO BUILDING STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES LIKE OUR PICKLEBALL COMPLEX ON THE EAST BANK AND THE JOHN ARIO JUNIOR SPORTS COMPLEX ON THE WEST BANK, WE'RE ENSURING THAT RESIDENTS AND VISITORS OF ALL AGES HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY ATHLETIC PROGRAMS AND SPACES TO PLAY SPORTS THROUGHOUT.
OUR GLOBALLY RANKED DISC GOLF COURSE AT PARK DAY FOR ME AND OUR AWARD-WINNING SOCCER FIELDS AT LAFFER PARK ARE AMONG THE MANY AMENITIES THAT MAKE JEFFERSON PARISH A GO-TO DESTINATION FOR COMPETITIVE SPORTS.
WE'VE HOSTED EVERYTHING FROM THE AMERICAN CORNHOLE LEAGUE, OPEN TO NCAA BASKETBALL TO UFC FIGHTS AT OUR ERIO CENTER IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
SOME OF THE BIGGEST RACING BOATS IN THE WORLD CAME TO BUCKTOWN THIS YEAR FOR THE NEW ORLEANS POWERBOAT GRAND PRIX, A MAJOR OFFSHORE RACE IN 2026, WE WILL OFFICIALLY OPEN THE JOHN ARIO JUNIOR SPORTS COMPLEX.
A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY CONCEIVED TO HOST YOUTH BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, FOOTBALL, SOCCER, LACROSSE, AND RUGBY TOURNAMENTS OVER LONG WEEKENDS FOR OUT OF TOWN TEAMS AND THE PLAYERS' RELATIVES.
THE COMPLEX INCLUDES EIGHT MULTI-SPORT TURF FIELDS AND ALL LED LIGHTING, ALTHOUGH THE COMPLEX IS NOT YET OPEN, ALMOST ALL OF THE 2026 SCHEDULE HAS BEEN FILLED WITH EVENTS INCLUDING THE 2D SPORTS TOP REGIONAL TOURNAMENT, THE YOUTH SOUTHEAST CUP, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER LARGE SOFTBALL AND FOOTBALL ENTITIES PLANNING TO BRING THEIR TOURNAMENTS TO JEFFERSON PARISH.
THESE EVENTS ALONE WILL RESULT IN THE OCCUPANCY OF THOUSANDS OF HOTEL ROOMS ACROSS OUR REGION.
ADDITIONALLY, THE WORLD'S TOP PROFESSIONAL DISC GOLFERS WILL HEAD TO PARK DAY FOR ME IN THE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR FOR THE INAUGURAL BIG, EASY OPEN DISC GOLF PRO TOUR.
NOT ONLY WILL IT BRING IN HUNDREDS OF PLAYERS AND SPECTATORS, BUT COUNTLESS POTENTIAL VISITORS WILL BE WATCHING THROUGH THE DISC GOLF PRO TOUR STREAM TO LEARN ABOUT THE AMENITIES OF JEFFERSON PARISH.
WE'RE ALSO SO EXCITED TO BE PLANNING A PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT WITH SOUTHERN PICKLEBALL FOR EARLY NEXT YEAR, AND THAT WILL BRING PLAYERS FROM ALL ALONG THE GULF COAST TO JEFFERSON PARISH.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE DOZENS OF SPORTING EVENTS THAT ARE PLANNED TO TAKE PLACE RIGHT HERE IN JEFFERSON PARISH WITH EVEN MORE TO COME.
NATIONAL SPORTS DAY IS ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF SPORTING COMPETITION.
SPORTS HAS THE ABILITY TO TRANSFORM LIVES.
THEY TEACH DISCIPLINE, RESILIENCE AND TEAMWORK, BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER ACROSS BACKGROUNDS AND GENERATIONS.
AND IN JEFFERSON PARISH, OUR RECREATION REIMAGINED INVESTMENT IN ATHLETIC FACILITIES, PROGRAMMING AND SPORTS TOURISM IS HELPING US BUILD A HEALTHIER, MORE CONNECTED COMMUNITY, WHILE ALSO WELCOMING THOUSANDS OF VISITORS TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
SO HAPPY NATIONAL SPORTS STATE, JEFFERSON PARISH.
LET'S KEEP REIMAGINING RECREATION TOGETHER.