2016 Sunset Report

OLG & DCRT Strategic Plan
2016-17 through 2021-22

Quality - Louisiana State Library
85% of the users of the State Library indicated that the State Library's services and resources was a good value for the State.
Source: The Impact of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism on Louisiana's Economy and Quality of Life for Louisiana's Citizens - June 2006
Louisiana's deep water ports

Did you know that Louisiana's five deep water ports handle more than 457 million tons of U.S. waterborne commerce a year?
Quality - Louisiana State Library
85% of the users of the State Library indicated that the State Library's services and resources was a good value for the State.
Source: The Impact of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism on Louisiana's Economy and Quality of Life for Louisiana's Citizens - June 2006
Atchafalaya Heritage Area

The Atchafalaya Heritage Area has been designated by Congress as a National Heritage Area.
Impact - DCRT Returns Investment Dollars to Louisiana

For every state tax dollar spent by the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, $5.86 is returned to the State Treasury and citizens of Louisiana.
Source: The Impact of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism on Louisiana's Economy and Quality of Life for Louisiana's Citizens - June 2006
Impact - Louisiana Office of Tourism Tops Returns on Investment

$13.90 is the return on investment for every dollar spent by the Office of Tourism. Over 175,000 people were directly employed by the Louisiana travel and tourism industry in 2004. In terms of production, $5.9 billion (3.8%) of Louisiana's Gross State Product was directly attributable to expenditures by visitors to Louisiana
Source: The Impact of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism on Louisiana's Economy and Quality of Life for Louisiana's Citizens - June 2006
Impact - Supporting the Louisiana Arts

Every dollar in state support for the Arts leverages $7 in earned and contributed revenue. Louisiana's cultural enterprises provide nearly 144,000 jobs for Louisiana citizens, accounting for 7.6% of total employment. Arts has a total economic impact of $934 million in Louisiana.
Source: The Impact of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism on Louisiana's Economy and Quality of Life for Louisiana's Citizens - June 2006
Impact - Visitors Generate State Revenue

In terms of tax revenues, visitor spending accounted for $677 million of 2004 Louisiana revenues, or 8.3% of the total 2004 State Budget.
Source: The Impact of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism on Louisiana's Economy and Quality of Life for Louisiana's Citizens - June 2006
Quality - Louisiana State Museums

95% of State Museum's visitors strongly agreed or agreed that the State Museum was an educational experience and has expanded their awareness of Louisiana's cultural history.
Source: The Impact of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism on Louisiana's Economy and Quality of Life for Louisiana's Citizens - June 2006
Quality - Historic Preservation and the Arts

78-80% of Louisiana residents believe that historic preservation and arts are important and should be high priorities.
Source: The Impact of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism on Louisiana's Economy and Quality of Life for Louisiana's Citizens - June 2006
Impact - Louisiana Serve Program

The Louisiana Serve Program in the Office of Lieutenant Governor returns 2.8 million in non-state revenue to Louisiana.
Impact - Louisiana State Museum

The Office of State Museum returns $6.99 for every tax dollar spent.
Source: The Impact of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism on Louisiana's Economy and Quality of Life for Louisiana's Citizens - June 2006
Impact - Louisiana State Parks

Visitor spending at Louisiana State Parks returns $3.23 in state taxes for every dollar spend on operating and maintaining all our beautiful parks. Out-of-state visitors to Louisiana State Parks spent almost $12 million in Louisiana and produced an economic impact of over $24 million. Louisiana residents spent another $29.2 million while visiting the parks.
Source: The Impact of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism on Louisiana's Economy and Quality of Life for Louisiana's Citizens - June 2006
Impact - Scenic Byways Program

The Scenic Byways program leverages $1.56 for every dollar spent by the program.
Source: The Impact of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism on Louisiana's Economy and Quality of Life for Louisiana's Citizens - June 2006
Louisiana State Parks and the National Register

Thirteen Louisiana State Parks sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. They include:
• Audubon State Historic Site
• Centenary State Historic Site
• Fort Pike State Historic Site
• Fort Jesup State Historic Site
• Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site
• Mansfield State Historic Site
• Marksville State Historic Site
• Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site
• Port Hudson State Historic Site
• Poverty Point State Historic Site
• Otis House at Fairview-Riverside State Park
• Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site
• Winter Quarters State Historic Site
Louisiana State Parks Visitation

Nearly two million people visited a Louisiana State Park last year.
Louisiana State Parks Grow and Renew

The Louisiana Office of State Parks has spent nearly $80 million in major construction projects since 2004, providing two brand-new parks and a new historic site, adding cabins and campsites to existing parks and building visitor center at one park, the preservation area and three historic sites.
Louisiana State Parks Wireless Internet

The Louisiana Office of State Parks provides free wireless internet access at all 20 recreational parks. Extensive coverage areas include most cabins, RV slips and campsites.
Louisiana State Parks Online Reservations

You can now make online reservations for cabins, campsites, lodges and group camps – at www.ReserveLaStateParks.com
Louisiana State Parks Honors National Parks Service Senior Pass Program

Visitors who hold an America the Beautiful Senior or Access Pass, and whose home State Park system honor the America the Beautiful passes for camping discounts, are entitled to a 50% reduction on camping fees at Louisiana State Parks. Certain restrictions apply, see State Parks' fees & facilities page for more information.
Louisiana State Parks Draw Media Attention

Louisiana State Parks sites have been featured in movie and television releases including "True Detective," CBS’ "Zoo," and "NCIS: New Orleans," "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," "Selfless," "Devil’s Due," and commercials for Popeyes and Toyota.
Capitol Park Welcome Center

The main meeting room in the Capitol Park Welcome Center is named after Margaret Taylor, wife of U.S. President Zachary Taylor. The couple resided in a small house near the present day location of Capitol Park until Taylor was elected to the Presidency.

Encore Louisiana Commission

Louisiana Certified Retirement Community Program

With the prospect of 76 million baby boomers nearing retirement, the Encore Louisiana Commission oversees the Louisiana Certified Retirement Community program. The program is designed to encourage tourism and economic development through the marketing of certified retirement communities to those from out of state and those living in Louisiana. Through the Louisiana Certified Retirement Community program, the Encore Louisiana Commission recognizes cities or parishes as premier locations for retirees. Destinations selected for certification benefit from state-level marketing efforts, networking opportunities, and potentially grant funding to support the program.

Act 1099 of the 1999 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session created the Louisiana Retirement Development Commission to market and promote Louisiana as a retirement community state. Through Act 342 of the 2009 Regular Legislative Session, lawmakers renamed the body the Encore Louisiana Commission with the goal of setting the guidelines and requirements in developing the criteria for a destination to become a Louisiana Certified Retirement Community.

The Encore Louisiana Commission requires communities to submit an application and undergo a screening process conducted by the commission before being designated a Louisiana Certified Retirement Community.

Louisiana Certified Retirement Community – Application & Guidelines

Once designated a Louisiana Certified Retirement Community, the Louisiana Office of Tourism will:

Promote the certified community as a Louisiana Certified Retirement Community to retirees and potential retirees both in and outside Louisiana.
Assist Louisiana Certified Retirement Communities in their efforts to market themselves as desirable retirement locations and to develop communities where retirees would find attractive retirement lifestyles.
Assist Louisiana Certified Retirement Communities in enriching their locations resulting in positive economic development.
Encourage tourism to the Louisiana Certified Retirement Community.

Members of the Encore Louisiana Commission

Appointment Type	Appointee	Term
Governor Appointed	Gov. John Bel Edwards	Expires with each elected Governor
Speaker of the House Designee	Rep. Kevin Pearson Chairman House Retirement Committee
President of the Senate Designee	Vacant
Dept. of Economic Development	Don Pierson Secretary Louisiana Economic Development	Expires with each elected Lt. Governor
Secretary of the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism	Robert Barham Assistant Secretary Louisiana Office of State Parks
Lt. Governor Selected	Kyle Edmiston Assistant Secretary Louisiana Office of Tourism	Expires with each elected Lt. Governor
Lt. Governor Selected	Gerald Breaux Lafayette, LA	Expires with each elected Lt. Governor
Lt. Governor Selected	Marian H. Dehan Shreveport, LA	Expires with each elected Lt. Governor
Lt. Governor Selected	Stephen Jones Denham Springs, LA	Expires with each elected Lt. Governor
Lt. Governor Selected	Stuart Barash Metairie, LA	Expires with each elected Lt. Governor
Lt. Governor Selected	Linda Curtis-Sparks Many, LA	Expires with each elected Lt. Governor

For more information on the Encore Louisiana Commission, contact:

Mary Perrault Williams
Encore Louisiana Commission Coordinator
Louisiana Office of Tourism
1051 N. Third Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Office: 225-342-8207
mpwilliams@crt.la.gov