Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry is using the Saints’ trip to Paris as more than a football story.
When the New Orleans Saints face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 25 in the first regular-season NFL game in Paris, Landry and the Louisiana Department of Economic Development will be there with a different mission in mind: selling Louisiana to French business leaders.
State economic development officials are treating the overseas trip much like last year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans, viewing it as a chance to pitch the state’s business climate and make direct connections with people who could invest there. Friday’s schedule includes a full day of meetings and seminars focused on Louisiana’s power grid, healthcare opportunities and building global partnerships.
“We have met with a number of different CEOs,’ Gov. Landry said.
“People are really looking at Louisiana right now. Before we really had to work to track business opportunities.
Now they are not at our doorstep...they’re in our living rooms.”
The state has also brought back the “Louisiana NOW” pavilion, the same 14,000 square-foot immersive space used during last year’s Super Bowl push. The pavilion is designed to bring business leaders and entrepreneurs together in one place.
“This is a perfect opportunity and allows Louisiana to look the best ... think about how great New Orleans looked during the Super Bowl,’ said Matt Wolfe, the vice president of communications with the economic development company, Greater New Orleans, Inc.
Landry said more meetings with French business leaders are already lined up over the next several days, and he is set to deliver the closing remarks at Friday’s business session at the Hotel Salomon de Rothschild in Paris.
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