BIG Idea Luncheon to focus on how to capitalize on Central Louisiana's outdoor resources

Central Louisiana has an abundance of natural resources such as the Kisatchie National Forest, trails, lakes and waterways that make it a year-round sportsman's paradise for residents and visitors who like to hunt, fish, kayak, hike or mountain bike.

Turning those resources into economic opportunities will be the focus of the BIG Idea Luncheon set for Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Community Center at England Airpark. The event is hosted by Louisiana Central, the area's economic-development organization. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at evenbrite.com.

“Living here we don’t think about the uniqueness of what we have,” said Gary Perkins, Executive Director of Business Acceleration for Louisiana Central. Sometimes it takes somebody from outside the area to point out the region’s advantages.

The featured speaker will be Jonas Crews who works with Heartland Forward out of Bentonville, Ark., a “think and do” tank which helps rural innovation throughout the middle of the country.

Heartland Forward realizes what outdoor recreation can do for a region if capitalized on, said Lafe Jones, Vice-President and Director of Industry Relations for Louisiana Central.

Jones said Crews was amazed at what is available in Central Louisiana as far as natural resources. Crews mentioned that the types of trails in Central Louisiana are competitive with many other kinds of trails that people travel miles to reach.

The luncheon came about after last year’s Regional Economic Development summit where most people were interested in making outdoor recreation more of an economic driver, said Jones. Anyone interested in outdoor activities, entrepreneurship opportunities, making their outdoor hobby into a business, marketing or growing the region can attend.

Youth sports tournaments fill hotel rooms in the area throughout the year and the area is also a big draw for golf tournaments, said Jones. He believes there is phenomenal outdoor recreation available from a tourism standpoint but so much more exists to capitalize on.

From an entrepreneurial standpoint, opportunities exist for businesses that make outdoor recreation products, said Perkins.

“We looked at the data. Outdoor recreation as a percent of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of Louisiana is about the same as oil and gas. That’s how big outdoor recreation is in this state. Which surprises everybody,” he said.

Rat-L-Trap Lures is an international brand made by Bill Lewis Outdoors. The business started in a garage in Alexandria, said Perkins. Then there’s Hybrid Boats in Bunkie which sells boats regionally.

There could be others out there who have ideas for a better scope or a design for a tent , said Perkins. Louisiana Central can point them in the right direction.

Opportunities also exist for people to turn hobbies into businesses that are service related whether it be a guide service or turn-key fishing trips, said Jones.

Many people travel to Honey Brake Lodge in Jonesville which is a luxury hunting lodge that offers guide services as well as accommodations, said Jones.

The luncheon will also address using the easy access to outdoor recreation as a talent attraction for businesses.

“We know from an outdoor recreation standpoint that we’re not Florida and we’re not Colorado,” said Jones.

But Central Louisiana has year-round access to outdoor recreation and close proximity to outdoor recreation is a big plus. People can reach a trailhead or be at a lake in about 10 to 15 minutes, said Jones.

Perkins pointed out that gravel roads are a big draw for gravel bike riders and Central Louisiana had a lot of them but people here don’t realize what a big deal that is. He referenced the small community of Emporia, Kansas, which also has a lot of gravel roads. They host 100 and 200 mile gravel bike races that could easily be done here.

People are more likely to be working remotely or want to find a job where they live, he said. So they want to live in a community that has outdoor recreation as part of the quality of life.

One of the things Jones said they heard was that after COVID, rural communities that had outdoor recreation as a major part of their economy were able to bounce back the quickest.

“We think a key part of what we have to do is inventory what we already have, said Jones. “We have the beauty. We have the wildlife. We just need to brand it better.”

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Luncheon to focus on how to capitalize on area's outdoor resources