03/11/2026
An amazing vision is being cast for Monroe!
“Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.” - Robert F. Kennedy
When I took office in July of 2020, we set an ambitious goal: redeveloping and reactivating the heart of our downtown. Like many American cities, our downtown was once the hub of commerce, music, arts, and culture. Over the decades, urban sprawl and shifting patterns pulled activity away from that historic core. But from day one, we believed Monroe’s best days were still ahead of us.
For nearly a year and a half, we worked with residents, business owners, and community partners to build a Downtown Strategic Plan. We partnered with organizations like the Southern Rail Commission and Transportation for America to explore passenger rail opportunities, and we listened closely to the voices of the people who live, work, and invest in our city every day.
What we heard from you was clear:
You want more access to our waterways.
You want a more walkable, more beautiful downtown.
You want restaurants, shopping, housing, and community spaces that bring people together.
We are strategically positioned on the Ouachita River, yet for decades public access to our waterfront has been limited. That is something we are determined to change.
Tonight, the Monroe City Council approved a Letter of Intent for what could become one of the most catalytic projects our city has seen in a generation. The vision is a mixed-use riverfront development that includes housing, retail, restaurants, entertainment, and hotel space… all designed to activate our riverfront and bring added life to our downtown core.
Let me level set with everyone:
This vote does not mean construction starts tomorrow.
This begins an approximately six-month due diligence process where the developer will finalize designs, study feasibility, and continue planning the project in detail. There is still work ahead. But without vision, progress never begins.
I’ve often called this process “the box top to the puzzle.” When a community understands what it’s working toward, it becomes much easier to rally together and move forward.
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
And Monroe’s challenges didn’t appear overnight either.
But we are seeing real momentum: economic expansions across our region, new investments in industry, and the addition of VCom osteopathic medical school located on campus at our University of Louisiana Monroe. These developments are creating new opportunities, new jobs, and new people looking to call Monroe home.
Our responsibility is to build a city worthy of that momentum.
When I first took office, I also realized something else had crept in over the years …apathy. Too many people had learned to settle for average. Too many had stopped believing in the future of our own city.
At some point, we stopped dreaming big.
But cities that grow and thrive are not built by small thinking. They are built by bold thinkers, risk-takers, and people willing to do the hard work to turn vision into reality.
There will always be doubters. There will always be people who reduce the vision or say it can’t be done.
That’s okay.
I’m focused on working with the people in the arena… the entrepreneurs, investors, engineers, architects, artists, and community leaders who are willing to roll up their sleeves and help build something meaningful.
I’m proud that this development team chose Monroe. They’ve walked our streets, eaten in our restaurants, and met with our residents. You don’t consider investing at this scale unless you believe in the future of a place.
They believe Monroe can one again be the epicenter of growth in Northeast Louisiana.
Tonight, our council showed courage by supporting a bold step forward. For that, I’m grateful to every member who trusted the vision and the process. I also want to thank Grow NELA and their team for the work they’ve contributed to help move this project forward.
Tonight was a big night for Monroe.
Tonight we collectively said something important:
Our city is worthy of investment.
Our riverfront deserves to be activated.
Our downtown deserves to thrive again.
Now the work continues.
If you want to see the vision that guides this effort, you can read our Downtown Strategic Plan here:
www.oneroe.city/downtown
And I’ll leave you with this challenge:
Our city will grow only as big as we allow it to grow.
Your belief in Monroe matters.
The words you speak about our city matter.
And the effort each of us puts into building a better Monroe matters.
The future is not something that happens to a city.
It’s something we build together.
