By Michelle Bates
A new hotel and two new restaurants could be on their way to Arcadia with the passage of a resolution by the Arcadia Town Council in support of an investment company interested in building here.
In June’s town council meeting, Mayor O’Landis Millican explained that Black Gems Investments is interested in building a hotel and two restaurants – Little Caesar’s Pizza and Dunkin’ Donuts. The hotel and two restaurants would be located on nine acres north of the Sonic Drive-In.
“…the Town of Arcadia stands in support of Black Gems Hospitality, and are excited to work with them for the economic development growth of the Town of Arcadia,” the resolution reads in part. “We stand in full support of all three anticipated projects and any future projects.”
“This is a group that is formed of 16 different others,” Millican said, explaining they are building a casino in Chicago and have a “Zip’s Cleaners” in Grambling.
“Their plan is to develop the property that Douglas Sapp has, and they’ve already been approved,” he continued. Speaking to council members, he said, “You’ll see in your packets approval from Red Roof Inn, and they’re looking to build a four-story HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof.”
The investment group already has financial backing by Gibsland Bank & Trust Arcadia, the mayor continued, adding the timeline of construction would be seven to eight months once everything is finalized.
“They plan to do a modular build,” he said. “They’ll bring it in on trucks and build it on-site. They’re just waiting to sign the contract with the modular company.” Little Caesar’s and Dunkin’ Donuts will be “pod-style” restaurants, in which both restaurants will be a small scale drive-through.
“They’re looking to attract traffic off of Interstate 20,” Millican said. “And they’ll use Dunkin’ Donuts to distribute donuts to stores throughout our area.
“The issue they’re dealing with right now is a bedding issue,” he continued. “If they can get 60 percent of the beds filled at the Red Roof Inn, they’ll build a Hilton studio hotel as well.”
Investors said they see the multi-faceted plan as a way to address what they claim is a lack of on-campus housing at GSU and food insecurity both on campus and in the community. The studios that may be coming to Arcadia would focus on housing students from GSU, according to an April 12 article from the Ruston Daily Leader.
The university would shuttle students to and from school.
“Grambling will be like a light shining on a hill for the rest of the folks to see,” investor Douglas Sapp said. Sapp, who lives in Houston, is an Arcadia native whose family has a long history in the Grambling-Arcadia area.
Town Attorney Sean Crain explained the process by which Arcadia will annex Sapp’s nine acres north of Sonic. In short, he said he’d submit a petition to have it approved by the Bienville Parish Police Jury.
“At the next council meeting, the town will just follow the normal procedure for annexation,” Crain said. “Once the ordinance has been passed, the town will need to file it with the (Bienville Parish) Clerk of Court within 10 days, and it will become effective 30 days after passing.”
Councilman Timothy Williams, District 5, made the motion to accept the resolution, seconded by Councilman Joseph Pruitt Jr., and the vote was unanimous in favor.
Nancy Bergeron, of the Ruston Daily Leader, contributed to this report.