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MONROE, La. (KNOE) — Officials are planning to upgrade the tennis courts at Forsythe Park and add new batting cages at the Sterlington Sports Complex, which could bring millions of dollars to the area.
Discover Monroe-West Monroe CEO Alana Cooper says they conducted a research study to see which new attractions could bring more money to parishes.
The study suggests adding new batting cages to the Sterlington Sports Complex and improving the tennis courts at Forsythe Park.
This could be a game-changer for the region.
“So there would be seven new courts in Forsythe, bringing the number up to 15, and 15 courts would open us up to do more regional tournaments,” said Alana Cooper, president and CEO of Discover Monroe-West Monroe. “When I say regional, I’m not just talking about parishes. I’m talking about the statewide area, so we can attract people from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama.
Cooper says the two projects would cost nearly $5.5 million and the money would come from company funds.
Corporate funds come from the hotel occupancy tax, but Discover Monroe-West Monroe has not yet committed to funding any portion of these projects.
“This is a really big investment for us, but we want to make sure we’re putting money into the community that will continue to generate money for the future,” Cooper said. “Tennis courts, for example, are going to bring over a million dollars to the community every year and we want that to come back year after year.”
Cooper says these investments will have a huge economic impact on the community.
“Basically, if people come and spend $1 million on an event, our parishes and city government will reap the benefits. It could go up their butt as well as the 13th teacher check,” Cooper said. “I mean, it helps all of those entities in our community by channeling those visitor dollars.”
Discover Monroe-West Monroe will meet again this month to vote on these two projects.
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