An item authorizing the mayor to renew the Raising Cane’s River Center rental waiver agreement with Visit Baton Rouge and ASM Global for three years will be discussed at Wednesday’s Metro Council meeting. If approved, the River Center rental waiver agreement would be renewed from Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2028. The rental waiver program was created in 2006 to attract events that generate significant convention and tourist activity. A separate item authorizing the creation of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport Authority will also be discussed. Additionally, an item will be introduced authorizing the mayor to execute a $500,000 cooperative endeavor agreement with Together Baton Rouge to participate in a pilot solar energy program that will provide partial funding needed for three “community lighthouses” to assist East Baton Rouge Parish residents during widespread power outages. The program intends to engage 24 congregations and community institutions across East Baton Rouge Parish to create a network of resiliency hubs called community lighthouses, each with commercial-scale solar power and backup battery capacity.  During power outages, the proposed sites will begin operating immediately to assess the need for and provide assistance to the community. In August 2023, the Metro Council authorized general fund funding to participate in the pilot program. According to TBR’s presentation provided to the Metro Council, the pilot phase that includes six lighthouse locations across the parish would cost $2.2 million. TBR would contribute $1.1 million to the project. The six lighthouse locations are: McKinley High School Alumni Center Immaculate Conception Catholic Church St. Mary Baptist Church St. Mark United Methodist Greater Sixty-Aid Baptist Church Renew Church The meeting is at 4 p.m. at City Hall. View the full agenda. Take Our Poll