JEDCO Unveils The EDGE 2030 Economic Development Strategic Plan for Jefferson Parish

This bold five-year strategy aims to elevate Jefferson Parish as a national leader in economic development

Click here to download Jefferson EDGE 2030 Plan

(Jefferson Parish, LA) — The Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) is pleased to announce the release of the Jefferson EDGE 2030, a comprehensive five-year strategic plan designed to position Jefferson Parish as a nationally recognized destination for business success and exceptional quality of life. Developed through a year-long planning process that engaged more than 90 stakeholders across government, business, education, and community organizations, the EDGE 2030 plan charts a clear path for growth rooted in innovation, partnership, and shared prosperity.

Building on the success as one of Louisiana’s top-performing parishes for economic development, the EDGE 2030 envisions Jefferson Parish as a thriving economic center built through strategic industry development; targeted, localized investments; and shared economic opportunity. Jefferson Parish’s strategic location, robust infrastructure, and position as the state’s most diverse parish create unique competitive advantages. The plan aims to leverage the parish’s strength and momentum through six interconnected priorities that will drive Jefferson Parish’s competitiveness over the next five years:

Industry Ecosystem Development: Strengthening high-growth sectors such as energy, food & beverage, healthcare, and manufacturing through flagship initiatives like Churchill Park and the Food & Beverage Incubator.

Talent Development, Attraction & Retention: Expanding career pathways and local hiring opportunities through deeper partnerships with Jefferson Parish Schools, Delgado Community College, and major employers.

Place-Based Development: Transforming underutilized sites into vibrant mixed-use districts, addressing infrastructure needs, and supporting redevelopment of catalytic properties parish wide.

Business Climate Improvements: Enhancing the parish’s competitive environment by streamlining permitting processes, supporting insurance-mitigation programs, and ensuring business-friendly regulatory frameworks.

Regional Positioning: Strengthening Jefferson Parish’s role within the Greater New Orleans region through coordinated marketing, unified business-attraction efforts, and messaging that highlights the parish’s unique competitive advantages.

Organizational Effectiveness: Expanding JEDCO’s internal capacity, data tools, and resources to support long-term sustainability, enhanced storytelling, and successful execution of large-scale initiatives.

“Jefferson Parish is poised for unprecedented opportunity,” said JEDCO President and CEO Jerry Bologna. “Over the next five years, this new iteration of the Jefferson EDGE will guide our efforts to accelerate industry growth, strengthen our workforce, and create vibrant places that attract and retain talent. We commend the many stakeholders who helped shape this next five-year vision. Together, we will position Jefferson Parish among the nation’s premier communities for business and quality of life.”

Over the course of its 20-year history, the Jefferson EDGE has provided a roadmap for promoting sustainability, job growth, and investment in Jefferson Parish. First adopted in 2000, the initial plan helped set the course for many of the Parish’s most successful initiatives, including laying the groundwork for the 480-acre Churchill development, one of the region’s most valuable greenfield sites. Other accomplishments, such as prioritizing and facilitating billions in critical infrastructure improvements, revitalizing the Fat City neighborhood, the purchase and redevelopment of the former Avondale Shipyard, creating an umbrella brand for the off-bottom oysters being cultivated in Grand Isle, and building the Jefferson Parish Housing Stock Enhancement Strategic Plan and subsequent neighborhood revitalization programs, were all initiated during earlier EDGE planning efforts.

The Jefferson EDGE 2030 aims to capitalize on recent economic successes, including attracting major corporate headquarters, bolstering Jefferson Parish’s emerging energy sector, driving innovation across a wide range of industries, and advancing the development of Churchill Park. This progress is made possible through the alignment of major priorities at the state, regional, and local levels.

“The success of Jefferson Parish has always been rooted in partnership,” said Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng. “EDGE 2030 represents a unified commitment between Jefferson Parish government, JEDCO, and our community to pursue transformative projects that expand opportunities for every resident. This plan will help us tackle challenges head-on, strengthen our business climate, and build a more resilient and competitive parish for generations to come.”

EDGE 2030 will be implemented in close partnership with Jefferson Parish Government, GNO, Inc., Louisiana Economic Development, educational institutions, private-sector leaders, and community organizations. JEDCO will track progress through a robust measurement framework focused on external economic indicators and internal performance metrics to ensure the plan remains responsive, transparent, and impactful.

The plan was developed through strategic support by Trepwise and Fourth Economy. It was approved by the JEDCO Board of Commissioners and adopted as the official economic development strategic plan for Jefferson Parish by the Parish Council.

DOWNLOAD THE EDGE 2030