Mayor Simeon says Lake Charles is "strong" and outlines infrastructure, housing and jobs growth

Mayor Marshall Simeon Jr. delivered Lake Charles’s first State of the City address on July 2, saying the city is "strong" and moving forward on major infrastructure, housing and economic initiatives.

The address, given at the city event center, opened with a ribbon‑cutting for a new police investigations building and proceeded into a review of projects ranging from a multi‑million‑dollar public works building to a planned I‑10 bridge replacement and the Choice Neighborhood Initiative. "One Lake Charles means that we're going to rise as one," Simeon said, repeating his administration's central slogan.

Why it matters: Simeon presented the address as both a record of recovery after recent storms and a roadmap for growth. He cited a local economic forecast projecting roughly 8,600 new jobs over the next two years and highlighted investments intended to attract visitors, workers and businesses — including an expanded port, new aviation and aerospace facilities at the airport, and a slate of hospitality and events investments.

The mayor described several specific projects and milestones: a newly opened police investigations building built to survive Category 3 storms; the Mid City Lofts phase of the Choice Neighborhood Initiative and accompanying streets/utility work; a $26 million resilient public works building; a $52 million judicial center under construction; and openings such as the Crying Eagle waterfront venue. The administration said the Choice Neighborhood effort will total more than $250 million and will mix subsidized, workforce and market‑rate housing in redeveloped blocks.

Simeon emphasized workforce and training partnerships. He praised technical-college programs and said job fairs have produced significant hiring outcomes; citing private and public partnerships, he tied workforce pipelines to incoming energy and industrial investment.

Public safety and quality‑of‑life investments were also central. The mayor credited recent pay raises for city employees, announced the city achieved a Class 1 fire rating (which can affect homeowners' insurance), and listed tools and partners the city is deploying to respond to crime and nuisance events.

On tourism and business attraction, Simeon previewed a plan to host the America's LNG summit in October, projecting thousands of attendees and hundreds of exhibitors, and said the city has engaged a feasibility firm to plan lakefront hotel options to support larger conventions.

The address combined civic projects and community programs with specific timetables: the administration must submit a recommended budget by Aug. 15 and the City Council is scheduled to pass a budget by Sept. 15. The mayor also noted a fiscal setback — three property‑tax renewals recently failed, creating a $13.7 million shortfall — and said the renewals will be refiled for the Dec. 12 ballot.

The mayor closed the address by recognizing youth and volunteers, then turned the podium back to clergy for a benediction before a meet‑and‑greet.

Next steps: city staff will finalize budget documents, advance procurement for planned facilities, continue grant and recovery work on Choice Neighborhood components, and update the community on the December tax‑renewal question.