WHITE CASTLE - Construction on a new multipurpose and training center in White Castle must be complete by December 2026 to get federal funding, and residents say the project could be an economic game-changer for the town and surrounding areas.

On Friday, state and town officials turned dirt on the roughly $5,000,000 project. The White Castle center will be one of seven across the state.

"It's going to be built in seven months," Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity Executive Director Veneeth Iyengar said.

The Louisiana Office of Broadband Connectivity, or ConnectLA, administers the federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to get the center up and running.

"It's a wonderful thing that they're doing," White Castle resident Walter Davis said. "The people need jobs, that's the best way to get them jobs right there."

The project leverages incoming broadband providers and the infrastructure they install in the White Castle area.

"Now that the connectivity has been built, this is a central hub for people, employers to come together to learn about skills, get taught skills, apply for jobs," Iyengar said.

Along with job training, the center will also offer health monitoring services, computer trainings and other programs.

"If you're a local workforce development board that wants to organize a job fair, you can use that facility for free. If you're a local 4H that wants to teach Precision Ag, on teaching on all the aspects of agriculture, you can use the center for free. If you're a local federally qualified health center, that wants to do additional health care screenings, they can use that for free."