Louisiana is investing $1.2 million for field renovations around Nicholls’ campus for the annual summer Manning Passing Academy.
The fields to be renovated are located behind the football field, where soccer tournaments are held, and the field in front of the university. Renovations include drainage systems and crowning to the fields in order to prevent excess water from pooling.
The Manning Passing Academy has an economic impact on the community. Though Nicholls does not make money from hosting the Manning Passing Academy except for residence and dining fees, its presence puts Thibodaux and Nicholls on the map. “Parents of the campers stay in our hotels, eat at our restaurants, and use our gas, which helps out all of Lafourche and Terrebonne parish,” Louisiana State Senator Norby Chabert said. This summer, 1,203 youth attended the camp from all over the country.
The state is given between $300 and $400 million per year for constructions around Louisiana according to House Bill 2. Vic Lafont, President of SLEC, and Chabert pushed the state to fund Nicholls’ field renovations to help keep the Manning Passing Academy at Nicholls.
The state has two separate funds for Louisiana. The HB 1 allocates funds for such things as higher education, salaries, health coverage, and insurance while HB 2 allocates funds only to construction around Louisiana. The state cannot transfer money between funds.
Chabert said that he is glad that the state approved Nicholls field renovations instead of any other university. “We spent $1.2 million, but we will make $1.2 million back in a year,” Chabert said.
The Mannings Passing Academy has been at Nicholls for the past decade and Chabert said he would do anything to keep back at Nicholls.
The Manning camp has been hosted elsewhere on two separate occasions because Nicholls did not fund the camp with the correct facilities and right fields. Nicholls’ Athletic Director Rob Bernardi said, “Manning Camp will stay another two years for now due to the field renovations.”