Experts Predict SpaceX Will Make Lafayette Area the Most Populated in Louisiana
LAFAYETTE, La. - With the official announcement Elon Musk's new SpaceX facility coming to Vermilion Parish, everyone is speculating over how this will change things in Acadiana, for better or worse.
The obvious change will be an increase in population as people move to Acadiana to build and work at the new SapceX facility, and some experts are saying the influx of people could be more than we're expecting.
In fact, Louisiana officials believe the economic impact from SpaceX's new Starbase Louisiana could eventually transform the Lafayette area so dramatically that it becomes the largest population center in the entire state.
Lafayette Could See Major Population Growth
Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois tells audacy.com she believes the Lafayette metro could experience significant population growth over the next decade or so.
According to Bourgeois, the Lafayette area could potentially become home for Louisiana's largest population within the next 10 to 15 years. Some say the population boom could happen even faster.
READ MORE: Six Louisiana Laws Cleared the Path for SpaceX
The SpaceX project is expected to create thousands of jobs while also generating additional employment opportunities throughout the Acadiana area.
When thousands of new workers move into an area, they need places to live, restaurants to eat at, stores to shop in, schools for kids, and businesses that provide everyday needs.
Construction companies, engineers, restaurants, hotels, stores, hospitals and healthcare providers, real estate agents, and countless other businesses throughout Acadiana could potentially benefit from the growth surrounding SpaceX.
From audacy.com -
The Vermillion facility plans to be launching rockets into space by 2029, and Bourgeois expects construction to ramp up quickly once it begins. Bourgeois also notes that there should be anywhere from 3,000-10,000 SpaceX jobs created by the construction of this facility, with other indirect jobs sure to follow.
Why Lafayette Could Become The Center Of New Growth
While the SpaceX facility itself will be located in Vermilion Parish, Lafayette is the largest city and the economic hub of Acadiana.
This means many workers connected to SpaceX and the supporting industries could be living in Lafayette or surrounding communities such as Broussard, Youngsville, Scott, Carencro, Maurice, and other parts of Acadiana.
READ MORE: Rocket Launches in Louisiana - FAA Requests Rule Changes For That
SpaceX workers and businesses may look to the Lafayette area as the regional hub, which could mean a boom in population throughout Lafayette Parish and the surrounding Acadiana communities.
SpaceX plans to begin construction on Starbase Louisiana in 2027, with the company's first rocket launch from the facility currently targeted for 2029.
Acadiana Could Be Entering A New Era
Louisiana has experienced plenty of economic booms over the years, particularly with oil, gas, agriculture, and the energy industry, but a massive aerospace industry is really something completely different for Acadiana.
Could Lafayette Really Become Louisiana's Most Populated Area?
Obviously a $100 billion SpaceX investment and thousands of new jobs could have a major impact on Vermilion Parish, Lafayette, and the entire Acadiana area, and now with to SpaceX's arrival in Vermilion Parish, Lafayette could be looking at for a level of growth the likes we've never seen.
Read more at audacy.com.
