Manning Passing Academy an economic engine

Nicholls scores 2 local commitments
August 22, 2017
Local guard plots his next move
August 23, 2017
Nicholls scores 2 local commitments
August 22, 2017
Local guard plots his next move
August 23, 2017

It’s no secret that our local economy has seen better days.

But for Thibodaux and the surrounding areas, a little boost comes every summer when the Manning Passing Academy rolls around.

The South Louisiana Economic Council released a report last week, which stated that the annual sports event generated close to $2 million for the area when factoring in both direct and indirect sales.


The camp was in town June 22-25. It featured more than 1,100 campers from around the country – many of whom come to town with their families for somewhat of a summer vacation.

“The hosting of the Manning Passing Academy in the Bayou Region has allowed our communities to not only benefit from the economic investment, but also from the tourism impact,” SLEC President and CEO Vic LaFont said in a release that was issued with the statistics. “Showcasing what our region has to offer will certainly assist in garnering future visits and investment into our local economies.”

The camp is a massive, massive boost to our community at a time when we need it most.


It’s no secret that our local economy has seen better days.

For two years now, oil prices have slumped, which has slowed work for a lot of companies, impacting the jobs of hundreds, if not thousands of locals in the workforce.

The camp is a bright spot for our area’s tourism.


SLEC said that in addition to 1,178 actual campers enrolled at the event, more than 2,700 visitors came to town for the football-friendly weekend.

Information generated by SLEC says that 63 percent of those people stayed in Thibodaux, but others stayed in Terrebonne Parish, namely in Houma’s hotels.

THIBODAUX A PERFECT HOME

Every year, people with the Manning Passing Academy tout that Thibodaux is the ideal place to host the event.


Archie Manning, one of the event’s founders, said the Bayou Region is the perfect hub for the Manning Passing Academy for a lot of reasons.

First, he said the area has a huge support base, which leads to great support and volunteerism during the days the event is going on.

“You will never find people more willing to be helpful than the people here,” Manning said. “If something is needed, there will always be people willing to help you get it – sometimes multiple people. The support this community receives and the pride people have in their community in this area is terrific. It’s not like that in many other places.”


Archie Manning said it all works logistically, too.

During the camp, the Manning Family gets free reign over Nicholls’ campus, including the use of housing and facilities. Of course, the academy also uses the university’s grass, turning just about every inch of grassland into makeshift fields for the week.

But more important than that, Manning said the layout of the city works, too.


Nicholls is, of course, right in the center of Thibodaux.

But surrounding the campus in all directions are hotels, restaurants, stores and entertainment, which is partly why so many people visit the event each year.

“It all works,” Manning said. “It’s easy to get from point A to point B. The hotels are all close by the campus. The restaurants are all close by the hotels. The design and the layout are all very convenient for an event like this and I think that’s really a big asset this city has.”


The campers and counselors like it, too.

During Media Day for this year’s edition of the camp, college counselors from around the country said they loved Thibodaux and would gladly come back – a sentiment that’s commonplace each year.

USC quarterback Sam Darnold said he felt at home the entire time he was at the event.


“The people here are amazing,” Darnold said. “Everyone is always offering to do something to make sure that you feel welcome. Nothing is forgotten. They think of everything – even the little things to make sure that you’re at home while here – even if you’re not actually at home.”

South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley agreed.

He said that during his time as a player, he’s been to several camps and events around the Southeast and beyond.


Bentley added that Thibodaux ranks near the top among host cities he’s ever visited.

“The support is awesome,” Bentley said. “You can tell that the people here really take a lot of pride in making sure that things go smoothly and run well. I know that people love their football here and it’s fun because you’ll hear some people give you a friendly jab or two because a couple of the guys play for rival SEC schools or whatever. But it’s all in good fun and it really shows how much the people here love the sport by how they come together to make this all work.”

Manning Passing AcademyMISTY McELROY | NICHOLLS


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