Mayor Friday Ellis

We’ve spent years talking about opportunity in this region, praying for it, planning for it, and working toward it.

The reality is that, for a long period of time, we have experienced an economic drought when it comes to jobs, investment, and opportunity.

Now, we are beginning to see signs of change.

And just like any drought, when the rain finally comes, it rarely arrives without disruption. It can feel messy, inconvenient, and uncomfortable at times.

That is the nature of progress.

Progress does not arrive in a way that preserves everything as it was. It brings construction, adjustment, and moments that require patience and perspective.

But disruption is not the same as decline.

And what we are seeing is not chaos.

It is movement. It is growth. It is the result of decades of effort beginning to take shape.

I share these thoughts to provide perspective on this moment and to encourage a clear-eyed view of what is unfolding in our region.

I encourage you to take a moment to read the full piece:

Mayor Friday Ellis: This is not chaos, this is our moment A few weeks back, Fortune magazine, published out of New York City, ran a headline

“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.

I want to sincerely thank Governor Jeff Landry and LED Secretary Susan Bourgeois, along with her team at Louisiana Economic Development, for selecting Monroe as part of the inaugural Louisiana FAST SITES program. The South Monroe Industrial Park was a goal I set to position our region to capture jobs and investment for our community. Huge shout-out to Rob Cleveland and his team for making this a reality.

This is not just another announcement. Louisiana FAST SITES represents the largest coordinated site investment effort in our state’s history, advancing 19 sites across 16 parishes. The message is clear: Louisiana is not waiting on opportunity.... we are preparing for it.

Since taking office, I’ve learned something important. The challenge in Monroe has never been the availability of land. The challenge has been having municipally owned, development-ready land ... land we control, land we can thoughtfully permit, mitigate, and prepare so that when opportunity knocks, we are not scrambling or relying on others to deliver. We are positioned. We are prepared.

Speed to market matters in today’s economy. Companies do not wait. But speed does not mean recklessness. It means doing the hard, intentional work up front... investing municipal resources to ensure sites are licensed, permitted, infrastructure-ready, promoted, and aligned with our community’s long-term vision. That level of preparation shortens timelines, reduces uncertainty, and makes Monroe more competitive while still being responsible stewards of public trust.

I want to thank both the current and past boards of the I-20 Economic Development District for their leadership. In partnership with our Administration, Grow NELA, and Louisiana Economic Development, this effort reflects a coordinated and thoughtful strategy to position Monroe for the next major investment in our region.

With the proposed interchange improvements near the LA 594 corridor and Millhaven exit, we are intentionally opening access to what I believe are three of the premier development sites in North Louisiana.

This is how you compete... deliberately.
This is how you attract transformational projects... responsibly.
And this is how Monroe moves from reacting to leading... together.

Over the past three years, we’ve seen dramatic growth in enplanements at Monroe Regional Airport (MLU), and today that momentum is turning into real results.

With the announcement of a new mid-morning American Airlines flight from MLU to Dallas–Fort Worth, we’re not just adding flights… we’re expanding opportunity.

This means:
Stronger connectivity for local businesses and industry
More convenient travel options for our residents
A more competitive region for workforce and economic development

This success is the result of true partnership. Thank you to Grow NELA, our City of Monroe administrative team, and Louisiana Economic Development for working together to make this happen.

And here’s the key:
- The continued rise in passenger numbers is what helps us secure even more flights.
Every time you choose to fly out of MLU, you are helping us build the case for additional routes and expanded service.

We’re not done… we’re actively working to bring even more air service to our community.

Monroe is growing. Northeast Louisiana is competing. And the world is now closer than ever.

Grow NELA Secures New Mid-Morning MLU-DFW Flight, Expanding Connectivity for Northeast Louisiana Discover the Monroe Technology Campus— a 66-acre, move-in-ready innovation hub in Northeast Louisiana offering Class A office space, advanced infrastructure, and a skilled workforce.