A developer is planning to build a proposed commercial development on a nearly 11-acre site south of Interstate 10 at La. 97 on the east side of Jennings.

The proposed project includes plans for a Whataburger, a brand name hotel chain, a coffee shop and Medicis medical marijuana pharmacy, according to Mayor Henry Guinn. The city and developers are also working to bring a sit down family restaurant and an equipment rental company to the site.

Those projects are in addition to previously announced plans for a Starbucks, T-Mobile store, John Deere dealership, Volvo/Mack dealership and Hebert’s Boudin and Cracklins to locate in Jennings. The Shop Rite Travel Plaza is also planning a major expansion.

Guinn also announced plans for a Brookshire’s grocery store to be located in the old Stage shopping center on La. 26 and the expansion of LUS Fiber broadband services into the city.

“In my opinion, a lot of people really didn’t know Jennings until all this economic development started happening,” Mayor Henry Guinn said. “We have always said it was a gold mine and we had potential, it was just untapped. Nobody knew how to market it. I think we just needed to reach out and talk to a lot of people.”

The proposed commercial development was initially acquired in 2006, but was never developed because the roadway and sewer system failed to meet the city’s specifications, Guinn said. The property sat idle for 17 years until it caught the eye of the new developers.

“Whenever you have a tenant and developer as good as what we have now at the hotel property, I think you are going to see a lot of potential coming to fruition,” Guinn said. “We just needed one anchor to come in and create the chain reaction that we knew was going to happen. Once you have the Whataburger, Medicis and coffee shop, it’s all going to spur. The La. 97 exit is going to start gaining traction.”

The project will also include long-term plans to build a service road for a second access to the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery. The road would also be extended to the Jennings High School area.

The city also plans to invest in infrastructure improvements in the area to spur future growth and has agreed to conduct a traffic impact analysis to address traffic congestion and ease traffic flow in the area of La. 26 and the Service Road at I-10 Exit 64. Those plans could include extending Fred and Ruth Zigler Memorial Drive west to the airport.

“We haven’t seen this kind of investment in 30-40 years, so we are going to work with these developers and use our tax dollars to offset some of the new sewer lift stations to promote growth and I think it is going to pay dividends 10-15 years from now.” Guinn said.

The city is also working to finalize a deal with LUS Fiber to bring high speed fiber internet service to the city by 2024. All services will be installed underground.

“LUS fiber in the city is single handedly the biggest feat I have accomplished in six years as mayor,” Guinn said. “I don’t think the general public understands what that is going to do to their utility bills whenever LUS opens up in the city.”

He anticipates residents will save almost 50 percent on the cost of internet, phone and television with faster, better service.

Communication is a vital part of any city, Guinn said.

“Internet is just as critical as the water faucet you go to every morning or our sewer systems,” he said. “If we didn’t learn anything from COVID or the hurricanes shame on us, but after the hurricanes the city of Lake Charles could not operate. Not because they didn’t have electricity, water or sewer, but they didn’t have internet. You couldn’t go to Walmart to get a gallon of water because you couldn’t swipe a credit card. Fiber is everything. It is as important, or more important than the water and sewer because if you can’t make that transaction, you don’t have business.”

The city hopes to sign a joint service agreement with LUS Fiber in July or August so that the project can be let for bid by the fall.