Investing in Baton Rouge’s Future

Below are some frequently asked questions about the Opportunity Zone Program, as compiled by the IRS.

What is an Opportunity Zone?

An Opportunity Zone is an economically-distressed community where new investments, under certain conditions, may be eligible for preferential tax treatment. Localities qualify as Opportunity Zones if they have been nominated for that designation by the state and that nomination has been certified by the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury via his delegation authority to the Internal Revenue Service.

What is the purpose of Opportunity Zones?

Opportunity Zones are an economic development tool—that is, they are designed to spur economic development and job creation in distressed communities.

How do Opportunity Zones spur economic development?

Opportunity Zones are designed to spur economic development by providing tax benefits to investors. First, investors can defer tax on any prior gains until the earlier of the date on which an investment is sold or exchanged, or December 31, 2026, so long as the gain is reinvested in a Qualified Opportunity Fund. Second, if the investor holds the investment in the Opportunity Fund for at least ten years, the investor would be eligible for an increase in basis equal to the fair market value of the investment on the date that the investment is sold or exchanged.

What is a Qualified Opportunity Fund?

Qualified Opportunity Fund is an investment vehicle that is set up as either a partnership or corporation for investing in eligible property that is located in an Opportunity Zone and that utilizes the investor’s gains from a prior investment for funding the Opportunity Fund.

Do I need to live in an Opportunity Zone to take advantage of the tax benefits?

No. You can get the tax benefits, even if you don’t live, work or have a business in an Opportunity Zone. All you need to do is invest in a Qualified Opportunity Fund.

Economic Development Districts are special taxing districts established by a governmental body to provide funding for economic development projects within a well-defined geographical area. EDDs subject properties in a specific geographic area to taxes used for a “special purpose.”

EDDs can be any size, from a single building to all property controlled by a city or parish (Governing Authority). Typically, the Governing Authority will use an EDD to strengthen a community’s economy by encouraging cooperative public private development efforts, attracting new real estate projects, creating new jobs and increasing the tax base.

North Baton Rouge has long been a center of creativity, resilience, and cultural expression. For generations, artists, entrepreneurs, educators, and community leaders have carried the area forward even when sustained investment was absent. The Renoir Cultural District recognizes that legacy and builds from it rather than replacing it.

Public art, murals, creative spaces, and cultural programming are intentionally embedded throughout the district to reflect the people, stories, and history of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Through partnerships with local arts organizations such as The Red Stick Project, the Renoir Cultural District elevates local artists and ensures that creative expression remains visible, accessible, and rooted in the community. Murals and installations are not isolated features. They function as landmarks, storytelling tools, and sources of neighborhood pride.

This approach treats art as infrastructure. It shapes how people experience the district, how they connect with one another, and how the neighborhood presents itself to the broader region.

Its  intentional placemaking aligns housing, economic opportunity, and cultural investment into one coordinated strategy.

The district is planned to support walkability, community gathering spaces, and mixed use opportunities that encourage local business growth and social interaction. The goal is straightforward: create a neighborhood that feels active, welcoming, and reflective of the people who live there.

As a state certified cultural district, Renoir benefits from tools that encourage creative enterprise and reinvestment. By attracting artists, makers, small businesses, and cultural programming, the district stimulates economic activity while maintaining authenticity.

Culture becomes a catalyst for growth rather than a byproduct of it. Events, public art, and creative businesses bring foot traffic, visibility, and new energy to North Baton Rouge while reinforcing community identity.

The Renoir Cultural District is a long term investment in people, place, and culture. Honoring history, supporting creativity, and building a future that families can see themselves in.

Learn more about investing in a Cultural District

North Baton Rouge has long been a center of creativity, resilience, and cultural expression. For generations, artists, entrepreneurs, educators, and community leaders have carried the area forward even when sustained investment was absent. The Renoir Cultural District recognizes that legacy and builds from it rather than replacing it.

Public art, murals, creative spaces, and cultural programming are intentionally embedded throughout the district to reflect the people, stories, and history of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Through partnerships with local arts organizations such as The Red Stick Project, the Renoir Cultural District elevates local artists and ensures that creative expression remains visible, accessible, and rooted in the community. Murals and installations are not isolated features. They function as landmarks, storytelling tools, and sources of neighborhood pride.

This approach treats art as infrastructure. It shapes how people experience the district, how they connect with one another, and how the neighborhood presents itself to the broader region.

Its  intentional placemaking aligns housing, economic opportunity, and cultural investment into one coordinated strategy.

The district is planned to support walkability, community gathering spaces, and mixed use opportunities that encourage local business growth and social interaction. The goal is straightforward: create a neighborhood that feels active, welcoming, and reflective of the people who live there.

As a state certified cultural district, Renoir benefits from tools that encourage creative enterprise and reinvestment. By attracting artists, makers, small businesses, and cultural programming, the district stimulates economic activity while maintaining authenticity.

Culture becomes a catalyst for growth rather than a byproduct of it. Events, public art, and creative businesses bring foot traffic, visibility, and new energy to North Baton Rouge while reinforcing community identity.

The Renoir Cultural District is a long term investment in people, place, and culture. Honoring history, supporting creativity, and building a future that families can see themselves in.

Learn more about investing in a Cultural District