BATON ROUGE, LA — May 29, 2019 —Today, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced that Baton Rouge has been selected to host the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), an association of 90 Mayors from cities and towns bordering the Mississippi River from Minnesota to Louisiana.
The MRCTI meets annually to address prominent matters of concern including river water quality and restoration of habitats, state coordination around managing and improving the river, ways to conserve water, and methods to create sustainable economies.
Mayor Broome’s office partnered with the Water Institute of the Gulf and Visit Baton Rouge to make a pitch for the 2021 conference. Baton Rouge’s water-based assets, like the Water Campus and its proximity to the Port of Southern Louisiana, the largest inland port in the nation by tonnage, were major factors in MRCTI’s selection of the Capital City to host the Annual Meeting.
“MRCTI gives a collective voice to those who depend on most upon the River, and by doing so, spans political and economic interests,” said Mayor Broome. “It is an honor that the team of Mayors chose our city to hold the meeting and celebrate the 300th Anniversary of Baton Rouge’s settlement.”
During the meeting, Mayors from all ten Mississippi River States as well as federal, state, and global partners will gather to learn from Mayor Broome’s experiences in keeping communities connected and resilient. Baton Rouge’s work to keep communities united and a part of the city is of interest to other towns along the Mississippi where Mayors are also working to keep economic mobility open and accessible to all.
“Our Mayors are very excited to be part of celebrating Baton Rouge’s 300th Anniversary,” said Colin Wellenkamp, MRCTI Executive Director. “Baton Rouge has much to teach other cities in terms of infrastructure challenges and solutions interfacing with the River and several micro-basins that surround the area.”
The 2021 meeting will be the MRCTI’s 9th annual organizational meeting, which is expected to have the largest turnout to date.