New Iberia council debates taking Sugar Cane Festival building as parish offers transfer

The New Iberia City Council on Oct. 16 debated whether to accept transfer of the Sugar Cane Festival building and roughly 15 acres of surrounding City Park from Iberia Parish, a move supporters said would preserve a long-standing community asset but that at least one council member warned could saddle the city with maintenance costs if promised state funding does not arrive.

Councilwoman Deedee Johnson Reed, who warned repeatedly during the public debate, said she was uneasy about taking on the property while key state funds remained uncertain. “We’re not guaranteed the money from the state yet, which means that if they don’t give it to us, this becomes a burden on the citizens of New Iberia,” Reed said. She asked the council to think long term about whether the smaller tax base of the city could sustain the building the parish had been unable to maintain.

Mayor Freddie DeCour framed the proposed transfer as an opportunity to rescue a landmark that has deteriorated and to market it for more frequent use. “To allow it to fall apart in the middle of our park — demolition by neglect — that’s not an option,” DeCour said. He outlined steps already taken to seek capital outlay and grant funding and said city staff have prepared cost estimates and drawings and are pursuing state money to support renovation rather than demolition.

Other council members said the building, plus the adjoining 15-acre parcel that would come into the city, has development and program potential. Councilman Marlon Lewis argued the city would not get additional park acreage often and that ownership would allow future programming, festivals and revenue that could offset upkeep. “You don’t turn down 15 acres,” Lewis said.

Several council members and the mayor cited past examples in which acquiring older properties enabled grants or private investment to follow, and they urged marketing the venue for a broader set of rentals and events. Supporters also said the parcel’s location, in the city’s largest park near downtown, made the transfer strategically valuable.

Council discussion touched on specifics staff and the mayor said are already under way: architects’ estimates, applications for capital outlay and other grants, and a plan to market the building with event packages that would encourage recurring rentals.

City Attorney commentary during the hearing clarified that the transfer would be contingent on a parallel vote by Iberia Parish government: the city would take ownership only after the parish formally approved the conveyance and any required access or easement agreements were finalized.

The council opened and closed the public hearing on the ordinance and moved to a vote; the transcript records a roll-call vote was taken but does not include a tally in the meeting record. The mayor and several council members said they were prepared to accept the risk of renovation to preserve the property rather than let it deteriorate further.

The debate highlighted the tradeoff the council faced between preserving a downtown amenity — and the potential for tourism and rental revenue — and taking on an aging building that will require multi-year investment even if outside funding is secured.

What happens next: city staff will continue grant and capital-outlay outreach and the council signaled it would finalize the transfer if Iberia Parish authorizes the conveyance. The council took a formal vote on the ordinance during the meeting; the transcript shows members were asked to vote their machines, though the recorded segment does not include the final tally.