GNO, Inc. Sunday Night Highlight(s) – Louisiana Wins Platinum “Deal of the Year;” GNO, Inc. 2024 Year-in-Review

After taking a week off, GNO, Inc. is making up for lost time with a double-dose Sunday Night Highlight:

1) Deal of the Year

Louisiana has been awarded the 2024 Platinum Deal of the Year by Business Facilities magazine, a leading journal for site selectors. This is the first time that Louisiana has been recognized for having the #1 economic development win in America for the year. Writes Business Facilities:

The 2024 Platinum Deal of the Year Award recognizes Louisiana Economic Development for securing Meta’s largest AI-optimized data center in the northeast region of the state. The company plans to build the facility on a megasite in Richland Parish, representing a $10 billion investment that will create 500 direct jobs, with average salaries at least 150% of the state per capita average. In addition, the project will create 1,000 indirect jobs. State legislation reducing sales tax liability on data center equipment purchases, partnerships with educational institutions, and availability of utilities were among the factors critical in Meta choosing to locate in Louisiana.

Congratulations to Governor Landry, Louisiana Economic Development, GrowNELA, and Entergy!

You can read more about the Meta deal here.

2) GNO, Inc. 2024 Year-in-Review

2024 was a busy year, even by GNO, Inc. standards. Highlights of GNO, Inc.’s work included:

New & Notable

• Super Bowl LIX
  • GNO, Inc. CEO Michael Hecht was named Infrastructure and Economic Development Coordinator for Louisiana by Governor Jeff Landry
  • Working with over two dozen city, state, and other partners, the GNO, Inc. team helped coordinate and catalyze over 550 infrastructure and beautification projects
• Public Safety
  • NOLA Coalition marked its 2^nd anniversary, with homicides and carjackings down nearly 50% and 70%, respectively, since 2022
  • NOLA Coalition surpassed $9 million raised for youth-service organizations
• Insurance
  • GNO, Inc. collaborated with the LA Dept. of Insurance on key property insurance reforms, including Citizen’s surcharge suspension, and extension of the fortified roof grant program
  • Testified multiple times in Congress on the need for reauthorization and reform of flood insurance; subsequently reauthorized.  GNO, Inc. has now begun work on an all-perils national catastrophic insurance plan
• Energy
  • GNO, Inc. and partners broke ground on the Louisiana Future Energy Center at The Beach
  • Newlab partnered with GNO, Inc., Shell, Battelle, Carbonvert, and LSU to launch two DOE-funded programs focused on carbon management and clean hydrogen technologies

Business Development

• 13 projects announced with partners, representing $1.5M in investment, 585 new jobs, and over 1,200 retained jobs
  • RNGD expansion – Jefferson Parish, $25M capex – 130 new + 240 retained jobs
  • S&W Foods expansion – Tangipahoa, $21M capex – 100 retained jobs
  • Agile Cold Storage – St. Tammany, $45M capex – 100 new jobs
  • UBE Corporation – Jefferson, $500M capex – 56 new jobs @ $85K average salary
  • Life for Tyres – St. John the Baptist, $46M capex – 46 new jobs @ $50K average salary
  • Birdon – Jefferson Parish, $3.3M capex – 25 new jobs @ $99K average salary
  • Woodland Biofuels – St. John the Baptist, $1.35B capex – 110 new jobs @ $90K average salary
  • DAQA – Orleans, $100K capex – 20+ new jobs
  • Graham Packaging – Tangipahoa, $35M capex – 100 retained jobs
  • Laborde Products – St. Tammany, $5.8M capex – 13 new + 40 retained jobs @ $65K average salary
  • TCI Tank Logistics – Orleans, $2M capex – 40 new + 41 retained jobs @ $60K average salary
  • National Finance Center – Orleans, 600 retained jobs – 80k sf office space at The Beach
  • Copado – Orleans, 45 new jobs @ $80K average salary
• World Trade Center of New Orleans – Hosted 110 government and business leaders from 23 countries, including 5 Ambassadors, 7 Consul Generals
• Digital Media & Tech – Hosted 8th annual Game Fete familiarization tour in partnership with LED and NOLABA; 50+ video game executives from across the U.S. attended, inc. DAQA (2024 announced project
• Military – Assisted The Beach at UNO in retaining Naval Information & Warfare Command, which was at risk of losing the 600+ full-time positions as a result of their lease renewal

Public Policy

• 2024 Special Session – Provided strategic advocacy and counsel, leading to outcomes including, but not limited to, the preservation of key economic development incentives (Historic Tax Credits, Motion Picture, Digital Media)
• Federal Policy – Drafted the TWIC Efficiency (TWICE) Act and secured bi-partisan authorship of Congressmen Carter and Higgins to introduce in the House; the act would increase infrastructure-related employment access for formerly incarcerated individuals and workforce availability

Workforce

• Published the 2023 Bank of America Jobs Report in partnership with Bank of America

Economic Mobility

• Startup Noir NOLA (SNN): Launched Startup Noir NOLA events, brand, and digital hub to spotlight and support Black entrepreneurship in New Orleans

Communications

• Earned 37 national media mentions, with a combined 706M+ impressions; publications included Fox News, News Nation, Yahoo! Finance, MarketScale, S&P Global, and BBC; earned over 360 local media mentions & published op-eds, including 5 newspaper front pages

You can read the full GNO, Inc. 2024 Year-End Report here.

Thank you to all of our staff, board, investors, and partners who made this success possible!