Ascension Economic Development

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Ascension Economic Development Corporation
Update Spring 2007 March 22, 2007 Tommy J.
Kurtz, CEcD, MPA
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Key Operational Highlights

• 2 industrial announcements in March-140 million
  total investment
• Initial review phase of Ascension megasite
  completed
• Finalist for call center considering Gonzales
• Assisting with workforce grants and coordination
  with Cabelas
• LECC received over 15,000 in grants from
  incubator association
• Working on three major retention and expansion
  projects

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Key Operational Highlights

• Attended International Building Expo in Orlando
  with BRAC
• Assisted with BRAC regional workforce study
• Lamar-Dixon Expo Center Economic Impact Study
  with LSU
• Business and Industrial Park Development Project
• Downstream Fine and Specialty Chemical Project

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Location Announcements

• Kinder Morgan (Delta Terminal) liquid bulk
  storage at Rubicon-43 jobs, 37 million
  capital-room for growth
• Rubicon-100 million Maleic Andyride expansion
  (25 jobs)

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Current Attraction Projects 6 prospect visits
since last board meeting -Biodiesel
project Liquid Bulk Storage (no. 3)-Project
Moby -Hotel -Retail Development-Gonzales -Liquid
Bulk Storage-pending announcement-Kinder
Morgan Still pending -Gonzales Call
Center -Biomass Plant -Machine Shop -Car
Dealership -Ethanol Plant DEAD Reily Foods-Food
Processor for Donaldsonville-Located in TN
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• Request for Proposals
• 7 RFPs since last meeting
• -Industrial Equipment Supplier (AEDC)
• -Ethanol Plant (LED)
• -Mini Mill Steel Plant (LED)
• -Food Processing Plant (LED)
• -Call Center (BRAC)
• -Biodiesel Plant (no 2) (LED)
• -Food Processing Plant-No. 2 (LED)

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• 2007 Planned Trade Shows/Conferences
• Intl Builders Show (with BRAC)-February-Orlando (
  Edie-completed)
• National Petroleum Refinery Assc.-March (Tommy)
• Corporate Home Office Visit-Houston-Spring/Summer
  (Tommy)
• International Council of Shopping Centers-May
  (Edie)
• Chemical Show/NJ/NY Home Office Visit-November
  (Tommy)
• American Film Market-November (Edie/Tommy)
• Corenet Global-Fall Meeting-November (Tommy)

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• Movie Locations
• The Last Waltz of the Tear Drop Diamond-Filming
  in
• Donaldsonville and Napoleonville in May
• 5 RFPS sent and 2 movie scout visits
• 20 million Bonnie and Clyde Movie HQs
• -still securing financing

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• Movie Locations
• More than 80 emails sent out to film producers
  met at AFM
• In Santa Monica in November
• AEDC contracted with local movie scout-
• over 580 pictures taken of Ascension scenes and
• placed in Lacaeda database on website
• Donaldsonville to be featured in LA Film and
  Video Magazine

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• Business Retention and Expansion
• Projects
• 100 million chemical expansion, 25
  jobs-announced-Rubicon
• 30-40 million chemical modernization, retention
  of 30 jobs-approved
• But not announced-Project Green
• 7 million steel support company, 40 jobs-pending
• New in 2007
• -Local foundry-3.5 million expansion, 30 new
  jobs-pending

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• Business Retention and Expansion
• 7 visits since last board meeting
• Companies Visited
• -Acadian Waste
• -Beck Companies
• -Dupont
• -Eatel
• -Oxychem (Vulcan)
• -PCS Nitrogen
• -Pearce Industries

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• LA Edible Creations Center
• 6 contracts signed, 3 active tenants
• --Chef KD
• -Gumbo Roux Maker
• -Local Caterer
• -Coffee Shop-Cakes
• Negotiation with parish for May-Dec sublease
  pending
• 15,000 in grants from LA Incubator Assc. to
• buy packaging and bottling equipment

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• Ascension Megasite
• Final two sites selected-Orange Grove/Pointe
  Sunshine (Houmas)
• AEDC board to approve final site for option or
  right
• of first refusal with owner
• Negotiation with final site owner
• AEDF to approve matching private sector funds
  with Port, BRAC,
• and Entergy funds to pay for environmental work
• Phase I, Wetland Assessment, Geotechnical
  Evaluation and
• Utility Assessment to be completed on final site
  and possibly runner-up
• site pending owner financial participation
• AEDC staff will market both sites nationally with
  BRAC,
• Entergy, LED, and Port of Greater Baton Rouge

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• Ascension Megasite
• Committed Funding for Phase II from the
  following
• Baton Rouge Area Chamber-7,500
• Entergy-5,000
• Port of Greater Baton Rouge-10,000 (maximum)

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• 2007 Initiatives-Pending Board Approval
• Downstream Specialty Chemical Initiative
• -Proposal from SSA Associates for pilot plant
  study
• -Signed confidentiality agreements with
  BASF-first plant
• -Identify streams and marketing plan to potential
  fine and specialty chemical companies
• Business/Office Park Development
• -Proposal from Taimerica, LLC for feasibility
  study
• -26,500 grant submitted to LED for Tier II
  matching funds-
• official grant award decision by May-verbal
  approval given
• -Proposal would also identify three best sites,
  costs of
• development for park and allow us to market sites
  to
• national business park developers

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• Remaining Board Meeting Dates for 2007
• June 21, 2007
• September 20, 2007
• December 13, 2007

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Questions? www.ascensionedc.com tkurtz_at_ascensione
dc.com emichel_at_ascensionedc.com bdupplesis_at_ascensi
onedc.com 225-675-1750-p 225-675-1751-f 6967
Highway 22 Sorrento, LA 70778