Gov. Scott’s visit to Louisiana

Florida Gov. Rick Scott visited Louisiana back in January on a mission to lure at least four Louisiana businesses, and jobs, to the Sunshine State. Three of the four Louisiana firms Scott visited, reported by NOLA.com on Feb. 20, were mostly invitations to do business in Florida - not to relocate. "With no income tax, a low business tax and a business-friendly environment, Florida is the perfect location for Louisiana business owners and families who want to keep more of their hard-earned money," read a Jan. 16 media release from Scott’s office. His Jan. 17 itinerary for New Orleans had the governor visiting HRI Properties, Search Influence, Smoothie King and Waldemar S. Nelson & Co. Smoothie King officials could not be reached for comment. HRI Properties was originally scheduled to meet Scott in 2017 about a potential development in Tampa, but it was cancelled due to Hurricane Irma. Waldemar S. Nelson & Co., an engineering and project management firm, had previously worked in Florida on port and coastal management projects, according to director Kenneth Nelson. The firm has one business in Florida for “many years on individual projects, but we had never had enough of a continuous stream of work to warrant opening an office there," he said. The Florida Republican has made business recruitment trips to other states with Democratic governors. Scott is a friend of former Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal. Florida has a brief history of luring NOLA-area companies. Less than a month after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse moved its HQ from Metairie to Orlando. (Source: NOLA.com 02/20/18)