Cajundome Upgrades Discussed

Officials with the 13,800-capacity Cajundome in Lafayette, La., submitted Nov. 23 a “wish list” of about $40 million in upgrades to the Cajundome Commission that oversees the facility.

Potential improvements to the venue, opened in 1985, include reconfiguring seating, expansion of the convention center and major maintenance projects. A decision on which projects to undertake first will come after officials know how much financing is available, according to area newspaper The Advocate.

The tentative plan is to issue bonds to cover some of the costs, which would be repaid with hotel and motel sales tax collections the state gives the Cajundome, the paper said.

In related news, the Advocate reported a dispute between the Cajundome Commission and Lafayette Parish Schools Sales Tax Division regarding unpaid sales taxes has been resolved.

Officials with the Cajundome, home to the University of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns basketball teams, reportedly owe $1.4 million in sales taxes from items sold between 2004 and June 2008.

The commission reportedly contended that as a government entity, it is exempt from paying state sales tax but a judge disagreed, saying the venue is only exempt regarding items it buys, not the items it sells, the paper said.

Terms of the settlement were not released at press time.