VIDEO: T. Parker Host celebrates successful 2023 at Avondale Global Gateway

T. Parker Host has transformed the former Avondale Shipyards site in South Louisiana into Avondale Global Gateway, a thriving hub for industry. [Photo: T. Parker Host]

In just over a year since its reopening by T. Parker Host (Host) on the site of the former Avondale Shipyards, Avondale Global Gateway (AGG) has proven to be a significant center of commerce, generating economic growth for Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish.

After transforming a once dormant 275-acre shipyard site into a thriving hub for industry, Host reports that in calendar year 2023 it is on track to have moved more than one million tons of cargo at the site, has signed Sesco Cement and Gulf Wind Technology as long-term tenants and has seen a continuous stream of ships at the docks.

Host has taken this success and invested in communities across South Louisiana by donating over $300,000 to local charities such as United Way Southeast Louisiana, The NOLA Coalition, Bridge City Fire Department, Son of a Saint and more.

Over the summer, AGG contracted its third long-term tenant, Sesco Cement, which plans to invest $40 million at the site over the next few years. Since then, AGG has moved more than 100,000 tons of cement, a significant portion of which was destined for use in Louisiana’s expanding LNG industry.

With the signing of Sesco Cement and Gulf Wind Technology, AGG secured major tenants in its target industry clusters centered around food products, construction materials and renewable energy. Through these industry clusters, Host aims to attract tenants that benefit from proximity to each other to add value to cargo moving through the site and to enhanced supply chain logistics at AGG.

“After not seeing a ship at the site in decades, many had given up on ever seeing Avondale Shipyard once again generate economic prosperity for the West Bank and the State of Louisiana. Now Jefferson Parish’s West Bank sees a continuous stream of ships arriving at Avondale, some from as far as Korea, importing essential cargo like windmill blades,” said Adam Anderson, CEO and chairman of T.Parker Host. “As we close out 2023, we are proud that Avondale Global Gateway has created hundreds of jobs, brought new industrial business and ship traffic to the region, and returned the site to profitability. This is all in just one year. There is even more to come as we continue bringing economic success to Jefferson Parish’s West Bank.”

As AGG looks forward to 2024, Host says that it will continue to develop the site by attracting more industrial tenants, increasing river, rail and road shipments at the property and is proud of the recent completion of its $2 million renovation and upgrade to the gate complex, in partnership with the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission.

With AGG fully developed, the region stands to gain more than 2,000 on-site jobs, more than 3,000 additional jobs across the state, $32 billion in total economic output, and an $8.6 billion increase in Louisiana payrolls, says Host, citing economic impact report by Stephen R. Barnes, Ph.D. The new activity has the potential to generate $554.9 million in new state tax revenue and $286.9 million in new sales tax revenue to benefit Jefferson Parish.