BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The Louisiana legislature passed a bill that would allow East Baton Rouge Parish to offer a sales tax rebate on admission tickets to live events like concerts and festivals.
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber said HB450, authored by state Rep. Barbara Frieberg, targets concerts held in the Raising Cane’s River Center, LSU or Southern University or outdoor concert events.
“We want to help Baton Rouge attract more large concerts and festivals. For anyone who has gone to a Live After Five show or concert at the Raising Cane’s River Center, they know that live music unites people across age, gender, race, and background,” said Adam Knapp, BRAC president and CEO.
Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome celebrated the passage of the bill, saying, “This visionary initiative not only aligns with my commitment to uplifting Baton Rouge but also signifies an important step towards transforming our city into a vibrant and sought-after tourism hub.”
While Louisiana as a whole is known for its busy festival season and drawing big acts, BRAC said Baton Rouge trails behind. Last year, BRAC cited a 2018 SeatGeek report placing the Red Stick in the 11th spot in markets with the least major concerts per capita.
Campaigns have been launched with the goal of drawing young professionals and tourists to Baton Rouge. Visit Baton Rouge President and CEO Jill Kidder said the new legislation will help attract people to the city.
“Our goals are to make Baton Rouge a premier destination for visitors and to help create a community that is filled with local pride,” said Kidder. “Based on the most recent research, concerts and events are highly sought after by young professionals when considering a destination as a place to live, work or visit.”
