60 acres is ready to build rec complex
By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau
SLIDELL – A startling and unexpected announcement on Tuesday that a Slidell businessman is donating a 60-acre piece of land to build a multi-use sports park for eastern St. Tammany residents may be a crippling blow against a proposed casino and resort complex that will be on the Dec. 11 ballot for all parish residents to decide on.
Businessman Chris Jean, who founded a now over 500-member business group named Stand Up St. Tammany that is opposing the casino project, confirmed to The Slidell Independent on Tuesday that he came to a public-private agreement with Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer for the rec complex they first began discussing long before the casino proposal came on the scene. The land will be donated to a still unnamed non-profit that will direct the development.
A press conference will be held early next week with Cromer and Jean revealing more details, including a contingent of Slidell business owners and other community leaders who will unveil development plans for the project that is “practically ready to begin construction on.”
Jean acknowledged he made the decision to donate the property, appraised at well over $1 million, so Slidell can develop its own recreational complex without help from Peninsula Pacific Entertainment (P2E). The casino company had highlighted its intent to donate money for the sports complex as a main perk trying to win voter support for their casino, although virtually no details or location for the park has been revealed in the past 10 months.
Jean’s 60-acre piece of land is located on Thompson Road and was already started three years ago as a business venture for Jean, who originally had the property zoned for a residential subdivision. In 2018, Jean decided to create a sports complex called Liberty Park and worked with former Parish Councilman Steve Stefancik, getting the property rezoned to Commercial Based Facilities (CBF-1), which is approved for recreational fields of all kinds.
Besides donating the land worth more than $1 million, Jean has also invested thousands of dollars to get past the time-consuming wetlands review and storm water runoff permits, identified the site for a retention pond set for the back portion of the property, and has minimal permitting work left to get the final OK that will start the development rolling.
“There is almost nothing left in the permitting process before we will be ready to start building fields for the kids there almost immediately,” he said. “And this is a plan that won’t require new taxes from any resident of this parish. We have a development plan we will announce next week with more details.”
Jean has been a leading force in the fight to stop the casino from coming to eastern St. Tammany, citing his concern for small businesses being severely hurt from the 10 restaurants P2E has touted for its casino. Additionally, Cromer came out against the casino noting that the Community Agreement detailing monies P2E would contribute to the parish would likely leave the city of Slidell losing $2 million or more in sales tax money since he believed local dollars would be spent at the casino property, rather than at Slidell area businesses.
Cromer was elected in 2018 and was actively trying to find a location for Slidell to build its own multi-use sports facility, getting close to achieving that goal over two years ago when the city thought they had a deal for 400 acres of land off Airport Road. But after that deal fell through Cromer contacted Jean since he was aware of the businessman’s efforts to use his 60 acres for a rec park of some kind.
Cromer wanted to create a public-private partnership with Jean, but things were put on hold by COVID until the casino announced its plans earlier this year. Once Jean decided the casino wasn’t good for Slidell or St. Tammany Parish he has actively campaigned against it, spending thousands of dollars on billboards, signs, mailouts and more. He also decided to bring back the possible rec park deal for eastern St. Tammany, which led to this week’s announcement.
“I’m fighting this casino for one reason. It’s a bad deal for Slidell, for our small business owners and for the crime that will come with it. I’m not against gambling and neither are most of the over 500 business owners in our group, but this deal they have offered is not good for our community and we need to reject it,” he said. “As for the sports park, now we can build it ourselves and we don’t need them to do it.”
Cromer said he expects the new site named Liberty Park—for the Bayou Liberty area out near Thompson Road—can become a tourism destination with many out-of-town teams that will come here. The mayor said he believes Slidell can become a new location for the annual high school baseball championship games that annually go to Denham Springs or Sulphur, bringing big tourist dollars and more business for local restaurants, hotels and stores, rather than those businesses losing money to the casino.
“There is no reason we can’t be one of the parks to host the state championships,” Cromer said.
Jean, who has rallied the small business community against the proposed casino, said he has confirmation from many of those local owners to support the development of the rec park—something that will be made public next week.
Jean has become a target by casino supporters since he took the lead with Stand Up St. Tammany. Recent Social Media posts have questioned why he is fighting so hard against the casino and have suggested he is being paid by Las Vegas or Mississippi casino companies who don’t want P2E to locate in St. Tammany.
Jean has flatly denied those allegations since they began, and Cromer said he has dealt with Jean long enough to know the accusations are unfounded.
“Chris has no personal gain he is getting from any of this,” Cromer said. “He grew up in Slidell and cares about this community, especially other local businesses just like he operates. He is concerned about Slidell and that’s why he is willing to make such a generous donation for the kids and families here—there is nothing more to it than that.
“This donation makes one thing clear—the man is willing to put his money where his mouth is,” the mayor added.
Cromer added that even though P2E has promoted the promise of $35 million for a sports park in eastern St. Tammany, “in 10 months since the first announcement they have still not identified any land and have been completely vague about what will be built. Other than a few pictures with some ball parks there have been no details of anything they have promised.”