1. The arena drama Community dreams of a sparkling new arena are looking more like a Netflix drama than a construction project. A coalition backing the project is pushing forward with plans for a key part of a billion-dollar entertainment district that pairs neatly with the big ideas in Plan Baton R ouge III. But the plot twist came when Oak View Group—the partner LSU wants for the job—got pulled into a federal indictment tied to bid-rigging allegations in Texas. Add in a $15 million settlement with the Justice Department and ties to the notorious Live Nation antitrust case, and suddenly Baton Rouge leaders are fielding questions about risk, transparency and timing. Supporters say the project could transform the riverfront and supercharge the visitor economy. But skeptics are asking: Is this the right dance partner 2. A presidential search with plenty of politics When LSU President William Tate stunned Baton Rouge by leaving for Rutgers, he didn’t just exit a job—he ignited a statewide scramble. Months of political side-eying, Capitol commentary and speculation followed as the LSU Board of Supervisors weighed whether to bring back the two-leader model. Eventually, board members tapped McNeese State President Wade Rousse as system president and University of Alabama Provost Jim Dalton as chancellor. The saga was a reminder that the path to the top job at LSU runs straight through the political heart of the state (Icon Sportswire via AP Images) 3. Tigers in a tailspin LSU football delivered plot twist after plot twist in 2025, none bigger than Brian Kelly’s abrupt firing after a bruising home loss to Texas AM. With a buyout north of $50 million, the decision made national headlines. The political noise around the program got even louder when Gov. Jeff Landry, weighing in loudly and often, quipped that he’d let former President Donald Trump pick LSU’s next head football coach before letting athletic director Scott Woodward make the call, and the pressure forced Woodward’s resignation. By the time the dust settled, LSU was simultaneously replacing its president, its AD and its head coach—a trifecta even by Louisiana standards. The Tigers in 2025 spent as much in the political crosshairs as in the sports pages. 4. A rocky start for Sid New Mayor-President Sid Edwards swept into office promising a return to basics: Fix crime, fix roads, fix blight. But first, a financial cliff. The one prompted by the loss of a sizable portion of the tax base to St. George, soft sales tax growth and rising departmental costs. When voters rejected his controversial “Thrive EBR” tax plan, Edwards rolled out layoffs—including some six-figure administrators he himself had hired—and deep department cuts were pending at press time. Not exactly the honeymoon period any mayor hopes for. Now comes the real test: Can the former high school football coach stabilize the budget without sacrificing the core services he promised to restore? 5. Energy on the rise If 2025 had a defining storyline for south Louisiana, it was the sheer scale of new energy investment. In the Capital Region, CF Industries and its partners green-lighted the Blue Point low-carbon ammonia complex, a multibillion-dollar project poised to become one of the world’s largest of its kind. Linde followed with a $400 million air separation unit to support it, while companies across the corridor—from industrial gas producers to fabrication and pipeline firms—announced expansions to keep up with demand. Add in major carbon capture infrastructure and a wave of projects tied to cleaner fuels, and the region’s energy economy isn’t just holding steady; it’s entering another transformation. 6. The megaproject era arrives If 2025 had a motto, it might as well have been “Think bigger.” Hyundai Steel rolled out plans for a multibillion-dollar plant in Ascension Parish. Hut 8 staked a claim in West Feliciana with a massive data center project. And the Blue Point ammonia project poured even more billions into the river corridor. These aren’t ceremonial ribbon-cuttings—they’re projects that will reshape the workforce, the tax base and the region’s economic makeup for decades. For once, calling them “game changing” doesn’t feel like a stretch. 7. Tax code shake-up Louisiana began 2025 with a major rewrite of its business tax code. The state scrapped its graduated corporate income tax in favor of a single 5.5% rate and set the corporate franchise tax on a path to elimination beginning in 2026. Lawmakers also approved full expensing for qualified equipment and RD, changing how companies account for large investments. Backers say the moves simplify the system; critics warn of long-term budget pressures. Either way, the restructuring marks a significant shift in how Louisiana taxes businesses—and sets up new debates about revenue and reform in the years ahead. 8. End of an era HE Equipment Services, one of Baton Rouge’s longtime corporate pillars, found itself at the center of a bidding war in 2025. First came United Rentals with a nearly $5 billion all-cash splash. Then Herc Holdings jumped in with a sweeter deal worth about $5.3 billion. HE took the higher offer, ending its run as an independent publicly traded company headquartered in Baton Rouge. For the region, the sale is bittersweet: a testament to the company’s national strength—and a reminder that global consolidation doesn’t spare hometown heavyweights. (iStock photo) 9. The shopping center shuffle Retail real estate in Baton Rouge was on the move this year. Perkins Rowe was snapped up by TriGate Capital, with early hints of upgrades on the horizon. Then Towne Center at Cedar Lodge sold for $81 million to DLC and DRA Advisors, giving the Whole Foods-anchored center a new parent company for the first time in years. In a retail climate where national headlines scream about closures, Baton Rouge’s marquee centers are doing the opposite—changing hands because investors see opportunity, not decline. Todd Graves (Photo by Jeannie Frey Rhodes) 10. The tender titan Raising Cane’s founder Todd Graves didn’t just have a big year—he had a multibillion-dollar one. After Forbes officially placed him in the billionaire club, national outlets quickly crowned him America’s richest restaurateur. Not bad for someone who launched a chicken tenders empire off a four-item menu and a business class pitch. For Baton Rouge, his rise is more than bragging rights; it’s a reminder that a scrappy local idea can grow into a global force while still sending plenty of energy, investment and generosity right back home. ...read more read less