Grow NELA

Grow NELA Grow NELA is recognized as the primary economic development organization in Northeast Louisiana.

Grow NELA provides solutions-based assistance for business, industry and municipalities. Grow NELA delivers visible, impactful results that attract new jobs, expand the tax base, grow the population, and create more wealth for all residents of the 10-parish Northeast Louisiana region.

Grow NELA President and CEO Rob Cleveland will attend Yotta 2026 in Las Vegas, connecting directly with leaders across t...
08/28/2026

Grow NELA President and CEO Rob Cleveland will attend Yotta 2026 in Las Vegas, connecting directly with leaders across the data center, compute, power, networking and AI infrastructure industries. These conversations help build relationships, provide insight into emerging industry needs and keep Northeast Louisiana visible as companies consider where to make their next investments.

With major data center development already transforming our region, Rob’s participation ensures Northeast Louisiana has a voice in the conversations influencing what comes next.

We’re excited to partner with YOTTA 2026, bringing together the people building the future of data centers, compute, power, networking and AI infrastructure. Join more than 6,000 industry leaders in Las Vegas from September 28–30 for three days of insights, networking and partnerships driving the next era of AI infrastructure. Use code NELA20 to save 20%!

If you've had questions about the Meta Richland Parish Data Center project, this is a conversation worth listening to.Gr...
08/28/2026

If you've had questions about the Meta Richland Parish Data Center project, this is a conversation worth listening to.

Grow NELA President & CEO Rob Cleveland joins the Develop This Podcast to take a closer look at the project from the beginning, how it came together and what an investment of this scale means for Northeast Louisiana.

Rob also addresses many of the questions we've heard across the region, including infrastructure, power and water, transparency, local business impact, community response and the changes already being felt throughout Northeast Louisiana.

Listen to the full episode to hear the conversation: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/develop-this-economic-and-community-development/id1398076781?i=1000786039407

The first transformer has made its way to the Meta Richland Parish Data Center!The Meta Richland Parish data center proj...
08/26/2026

The first transformer has made its way to the Meta Richland Parish Data Center!

The Meta Richland Parish data center project would not be possible without the infrastructure and support provided by Entergy Louisiana. The first of 14 autotransformers has officially made its way to Richland Parish, marking an important step toward powering the Smalling Substation and supporting the region’s growing energy needs.

A new career opportunity could be closer than you think.America’s Workforce Academy, built by Meta, is hosting an inform...
08/25/2026

A new career opportunity could be closer than you think.

America’s Workforce Academy, built by Meta, is hosting an informal Q&A session for those interested in high-demand careers in the data center industry. Attendees can learn more about available career pathways, skills training, certifications and opportunities for long-term success.

Thursday, August 27, 2026
5:00–6:30 p.m.
Rayville Civic Center
827 N. Louisa St.
Rayville, LA 71269

For more information, contact Workforce Development Board 83 at (318) 728-3348, Ext. 303, or visit www.wdb83.com.

Sometimes the best way to introduce Northeast Louisiana is to give people a taste of it.Grow NELA’s gift bags are create...
08/25/2026

Sometimes the best way to introduce Northeast Louisiana is to give people a taste of it.

Grow NELA’s gift bags are created for site selectors, business leaders and others considering our region for future growth and investment. Each bag is filled with products from Northeast Louisiana businesses, including 4Sisters Rice and Duck Commander, offering recipients a true taste of our region.

These items do more than make a great welcome gift. They give us another opportunity to support and highlight businesses, makers and brands from across our region while showing visitors what makes NELA distinctive. From agriculture and locally made products to recognizable brands and creative talent, every item helps tell a small part of Northeast Louisiana’s story.

When we promote the region, we want people to remember more than the numbers. We want them to remember the businesses, products, people and character behind them.

08/24/2026

TOMORROW: Amazon Data Center Open House!

Join Amazon tomorrow, Tuesday, August 25, from 4–8 PM at the Shreveport Convention Center to learn more about the data center projects underway in Caddo and Bossier Parishes.

The open house is a drop-in event, giving community members the opportunity to talk directly with project representatives, ask questions and learn more about the investment and work taking place across Northwest Louisiana.

📍 Shreveport Convention Center
Captain Shreve Ballrooms C & D
🕓 4–8 PM
🚗 Parking costs will be covered

08/21/2026

NELA Growth is putting Richland Parish’s momentum in plain sight.

Richland saw significant sales tax growth in 2025, with parishwide collections climbing from $20.6 million in 2024 to $38.7 million, an increase of 87.9%. That represents $18.1 million in new annual sales tax revenue in a single year. By comparison, it took Richland 20 years, from 2004 through 2024, to add about $13 million to its annual sales tax base.

Growth is also reaching communities across the parish. The Town of Delhi collected $319,000 in sales tax revenue during the first quarter of 2026, up 28% from Q1 2025 and marking its largest first-quarter increase in nearly a decade.

Richland Parish School Board collections also climbed sharply, reaching $19.65 million in Q1 2026 compared with $2.36 million during the same period in 2025, an increase of approximately 734%.

Explore the data and see the growth happening across Northeast Louisiana at NELAGrowth.com.

A new investment at ULM is helping more students stay on track to graduate and enter Louisiana’s workforce.AT&T has cont...
08/19/2026

A new investment at ULM is helping more students stay on track to graduate and enter Louisiana’s workforce.

AT&T has contributed $25,000 to establish University of Louisiana Monroe’s Workforce Scholarship Program, supporting juniors who have already completed several years of their education but are facing financial barriers that could prevent them from reaching graduation.

The program will assist students pursuing degrees in Business Administration, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science and Construction Management, areas that connect directly to career opportunities with AT&T and other employers across the region. Scholarship recipients are expected to graduate in 2027, helping move more locally educated talent from the classroom into Louisiana’s workforce.

Investments like this strengthen Northeast Louisiana’s workforce pipeline by helping students complete their education while preparing them for career opportunities close to home.

https://www.ulm.edu/news/2026/att_workforce_scholarship_080426.html

08/14/2026

NELA Growth is putting Franklin Parish’s momentum in plain sight.

Franklin Parish saw broad-based growth throughout 2025, with all seven tax-collecting jurisdictions reporting increases. The Franklin Parish School Board recorded the largest dollar gain, collecting $891,288 more than the year before, an increase of 13.5%.

Parishwide sales tax growth also accelerated. Franklin added $2.40 million in 2025 alone, more growth than the parish recorded across 2022, 2023 and 2024 combined. That momentum continued into 2026, with first-quarter sales tax collections coming in 9.0% above Q1 2025.

Explore the data and see the growth happening across Northeast Louisiana at NELAGrowth.com.

Develop Franklin

Grow NELA brought together local, regional, and state business retention and expansion partners for a collaborative plan...
08/13/2026

Grow NELA brought together local, regional, and state business retention and expansion partners for a collaborative planning session focused on strengthening BRE efforts across Northeast Louisiana. Brandon Welch led the discussion alongside Louisiana Economic Development’s David Bennett, helping partners share insights and identify opportunities for greater collaboration across the region.

The meeting created an opportunity to share strategies, align priorities for the first half of FY2027, and identify ways partners can better coordinate BRE visits, communication, and future planning.

The Grow NELA team is always looking for ways to strengthen the work happening across Northeast Louisiana by sharing what we learn, building relationships with other regional leaders, and creating more opportunities for collaboration across parish and organizational lines.

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