Updated · Greater Baton Rouge Business Report · Jun 19
Louisiana Wins 3rd Straight Gold Shovel Award on $46.1 Billion Project Pipeline
Updated
Updated · Greater Baton Rouge Business Report · Jun 19
Louisiana Wins 3rd Straight Gold Shovel Award on $46.1 Billion Project Pipeline
1 articles · Updated · Greater Baton Rouge Business Report · Jun 19
Summary
$46.1 billion in submitted projects helped Louisiana secure Area Development’s 2026 Gold Shovel Award, extending its streak to three consecutive years.
The ranking weighed the state’s top business development and expansion projects on job creation, capital investment, industry diversity and fit with Louisiana’s broader economic strategy.
6,613 new direct jobs were tied to Louisiana’s qualifying projects, led by Venture Global’s $18 billion LNG facility in Port Sulphur and Woodside Energy’s $17.5 billion LNG project in Lake Charles.
Other major entries included Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel’s $5.8 billion Ascension Parish project and CF Industries’ $2 billion investment, underscoring the scale of the state’s recent industrial buildout.