LAFAYETTE PARISH — For over 20 years, the many considered The Celebrity Theater in Broussard a local staple, however, the building is now set to be demolished. This decision comes after the closure of the theater in 2023.
“There are a lot of screens in Lafayette Parish, but this theatre was just not able to compete, for sure,” said Steven Hebert, CEO of Billeaud Companies. The closure was followed by the company’s purchase of the theater’s partner and the reclamation of the property where the theatre was located.
“Since then, we’ve owned the building and the property, Billeaud Companies, and we’ve been entertaining prospects to repurpose that site,” Hebert explained. Despite these efforts, Hebert shared that repurposing the building proved to be impractical and costly.
“We’d been close with a few prospects, three or four prospects, where we got in the building with architects and engineers, and it just simply is just too expensive and not practical,” Hebert said.
While the decision to demolish was not an easy one, Hebert views it as an opportunity for a fresh start. “What we’re planning to do now, instead of a development that was centered around the building, now we have a free space to take that eight acres and divide it up in any way for prospects that wanna be located there,” he explained.
The site, located along the U.S. Hwy. 90/I-49 Lafayette Connector, presents Hebert’s company with the potential for various commercial developments. “There’s so much that has changed in terms of HVAC, you know, air conditioning equipment, the requirements and building codes, that even if you can repurpose the structure, you almost have to put in completely new mechanical systems, which makes it very difficult,” he added.
Hebert expressed that the company plans to parcel out the site to maximize frontage options, turning it into a major commercial hub. “I think it’s most likely that site will be developed with multiple tenants, three maybe four tenants on that site,” he said. The company is also open to various development ideas, from commercial ventures to residential properties. “Multifamily-type townhouse kinda thing, so there could be a residential element,” Hebert suggested.
“There’s a lot of sentimental value to the people in and around Broussard with the theater, it’s just a changing time, changing industry, and unfortunately it’s gotta happen,” he reflected.
The demolition is set to take place in the coming weeks, and Hebert remains optimistic about the future of the location as he believes it represents the beginning of a new chapter for the site, one that will reshape the area in a way that caters to modern needs and growth.
