Louisiana officials are expected to announce a major SpaceX project Tuesday morning, with sources indicating the aerospace company plans to build a launch site near Vermilion Bay, southeast of Lafayette.
Gov. Jeff Landry and state leaders will meet in Abbeville to unveil the long-rumored project, which has been in development for months. While it is not yet known if Elon Musk, the company’s owner and the world’s richest man, will attend, Landry previously commented on the potential for economic growth.
“Any company that wants to come to Louisiana and move the state forward, we’re all for it, especially if you’re going to create great-paying jobs,” Landry said earlier this month when asked about SpaceX building a launch site near Pecan Island.
Louisiana’s economic development czar also addressed SpaceX rumors in May, highlighting the state’s efforts to attract aerospace and defense projects.
“Aerospace and defense was called out as a priority sector for us. What we are doing with the legislature is making sure our public policy can attract the growth. We want to make sure Louisiana can compete for projects just like Texas, Alabama and Mississippi are,” Susan Bourgeois, Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development said.
Concerns have been raised about the potential impact on resources in the rural area near the Gulf.
“I do have deep concerns about what this means, because that area of the state that this is going in, it’s one of our rural co-ops. Entergy does not have service down in Pecan Island, so it concerns me that one of our co-ops who don’t own their own power, what does it mean for them,” said Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis.
SpaceX, founded by Musk in 2002, operates a corporate office and launch site in Texas. Much of the Louisiana deal remains under a nondisclosure agreement, a common practice in economic development negotiations under Landry’s administration.
The press conference to announce the SpaceX project, including details on its scope, timeline, and potential job creation, is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday.
