A Chicago-based firm is recommending redeveloping the Raising Cane's River Center into an events center with a 350-room headquarters hotel on the site.

Steven Haemmerle, Hunden Partners' executive vice president of development advisory services, told the Downtown Development District Commission that turning the arena into an events center will boost the number of bookings. He said the center's age and small number of meeting spaces make it difficult for it to compete with other facilities.

"That wasn't always the case, but that generally is how all cities compete now, he said at the DDD meeting Tuesday morning. "Other convention centers are looking to expand, so no action essentially has Baton Rouge slipping behind."

The hotel would include a 29,200 square foot ballroom and meeting room

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