SU accepts casino’s land donation

• By JORDAN BLUM
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Jan 10, 2009 - Page: 2B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Southern University is moving forward with donated land from Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino for its long-planned and expanded Southwest Center for Rural Initiatives in Opelousas.

The southwest center deals with poverty and education issues in rural areas of the region.

But some criticized Southern for dealing with a casino Friday just before the Southern Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the 6-acre donation just off Interstate 49.

“This is too big an issue to bring through the backdoor,” warned gambling critic the Rev. Frank Ford, of Opelousas.

“It’s a gaming industry that’s crippling the city,” Ford said. “There are some moral issues there that we just disagree on.”

The land donation was worked out between Southern and Evangeline Downs officials with the aid of Opelousas Mayor Don Cravins Sr. and outgoing state Sen. Don Cravins Jr., D-Opelousas.

“To be accused of back-dooring something that we’ve been working on for five years … to say that something is being rushed is offensive,” the younger Cravins responded.

“This is nothing to do with gaming,” Don Cravins Sr. added. “This issue has been more transparent than I’ve ever seen. I’ve never seen so much problems giving money.”

Trey Thibodeaux of Evangeline Downs said the racetrack would have no control over the Southern Agricultural Center’s southwest center beyond the donation.

“It’s as far from the casino as possible,” Thibodeaux said. “The land would be Southern’s. We would not have any ties to it.”

A new facility for the center has been planned for years.

First, a deal fell through with the Yambilee Association for the center.

Then a 4-acre donation from an Opelousas-area lawyer was seen as too small and less accessible.