HOST Celebrates Transformative Growth at Avondale Global Gateway in 2023
AVONDALE, La. (December 28, 2023) – Avondale Global Gateway (AGG), under the stewardship of HOST and in its first full year of operation, has proven to be a vibrant center of commerce generating economic growth for Jefferson Parish. In 2023 alone, HOST is on track to move more than one million tons of cargo at the site, signed Sesco Cement and Gulf Wind Technology as long-term tenants and saw a continuous stream of ships at the docks.
This October marked a significant milestone for HOST as it commemorated the first anniversary of the introduction of AGG to the community. In just one year, AGG has become a catalyst for economic revitalization, creating hundreds of full-time jobs and rejuvenating a once dormant 275-acre shipyard into a thriving hub for industry on the West Bank of the Mississippi River with the ability to draw increased economic development to the region. HOST has also 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 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 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. This is according to an 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.