West Feliciana’s 1948 jail expected to be replaced with funding from data center deal

The West Feliciana Parish is poised for significant financial benefits from a data center agreement with the company HUD 8. State Representative Jeremy Lome's HB466 seeks to empower the West Feliciana Parish Industrial Board to offer tax rebates to parish property owners and entities, utilizing funds from the data center deal. Under the lease agreement, the parish is set to receive $90 million annually for 15 years. Parish Sheriff Brian Spilman expressed satisfaction, noting that a top priority for these funds is replacing the current parish jail, which was built in 1948 and no longer meets modern needs. Other key areas benefiting from the funding include infrastructure, education, and law enforcement. Construction at the HUD 8 site off Highway 61 is expected to conclude by late 2027. However, Sheriff Spilman anticipates an early prepayment of $10 million from the "pilot agreement" as soon as July. Of this amount, $800,000 will be allocated to the sheriff's office to advance plans for a new, larger prison capable of housing up to 150 inmates, a significant increase from the current facility's 39-inmate capacity. Parish President Kenny Hav confirmed the upcoming prepayment and the bill's progress, stating it has not yet received any opposing votes as it moves to the Senate floor.