Price LeBlanc PACE Center groundbreaking held in Gonzales July 5

Staff Report
Alexis Cook, Ingrid Williams, Austin Duhon and Mike Buturla, Domain Architecture, Tyler Tremonte, Stuart Contractors, Mark Maher, McKim & Creed, Jackie Baumann, City of Gonzales, Kevin Schexnayder, Hancock Whitney Bank, Scot Byrd, City of Gonzales, Tyler Turner, Councilman – City of Gonzales, Brian Henderson, Hancock Whitney Bank, Johnny Berthelot, Councilman – City of Gonzales, Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment, Charles “Beau” Bondy, Tim Riley, Councilman – City of Gonzales, John Cagnolatti, Parish Councilman, Mayor Barney Arceneaux, Price LeBlanc, Jr, Clay Stafford, DD of Louisiana, Tommy Martinez, Senator John Kennedy representative, City Attorney Matt Percy, Nancy LeBlanc, Clifton LeBlanc, Brent LeBlanc, Olivia Fortenberry, Clifton LeBlanc, Jr., Elizabeth LeBlanc, Brennan LeBlanc, Tammy Williams, City of Gonzales.

The City of Gonzales broke ground July 5 on the Price LeBlanc Performing Arts, Conference, and Events center. The building is slated to begin construction in late September.

Mayor Barney Arceneaux welcomed members of the Price LeBlanc Sr. family and elected officials to the groundbreaking celebration.

“It’s been a longtime passion project of mine,” he said. “The 2016 historic flood put it on pause, as we turned to helping our community recover. But I’m so glad we are here today.”

Gonzales Mayor Barney Arceneaux speaks at the groundbreaking for the Price LeBlanc PACE center.

The two-story, 25,000-square-foot center is in the Heritage Crossing Development at the intersection of Highway 44 and Highway 30. This modern facility is specifically designed to host expos, cultural and performing arts events, and indoor concerts, banquets, and balls, and will be the anchor of this development.

Price LeBlanc Jr. speaks to the crowd at the groundbreaking for the Price LeBlanc PACE Center in Gonzales.

The PACE center will support tourism and economic development while creating jobs by supporting local hotels, restaurants, and small businesses. It will also add to the quality of life in Gonzales. 

Arceneaux believes "our residents' quality of life is certainly improved when they can attend and enjoy wonderful events, locally.  This is certainly due to the generous partnership of the Price LeBlanc family, and we are very grateful for their investment in our community."  

The Price LeBlanc PACE Center is scheduled to host its first event in 2023. 

The PACE center was made possible through the generous gift of the Price LeBlanc Sr. family and through revenue generated from the hotel/motel tax, beginning in 2019.