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Regular Session, 2014 APPROVED
SENATE STUDY REQUEST NO. 3
BY SENATOR ADLEY
A STUDY REQUEST
To request the Senate Committee on Finance to study the feasibility of selling the naming
rights for the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students.
WHEREAS, the selling of naming rights has generated an aggregate value in excess
of one billion six hundred million dollars to its authorizing entities nationwide; and
WHEREAS, the naming rights to the Louisiana Superdome were recently sold to
Mercedes Benz for almost nine million dollars per year; and
WHEREAS, the naming rights to the New Orleans Arena were recently sold to
Smoothie King for approximately four million dollars per year; and
WHEREAS, local governing authorities across the country have begun selling the
naming rights of bus and train stations, and other publically owned facilities; and
WHEREAS, selling the naming rights of publically owned facilities benefit both the
seller through increased revenue, and the purchaser through increased exposure; and
WHEREAS, the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, or TOPS, while not made
of brick and mortar, is one of the most visible and well-known programs in Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, almost all high school students, their parents and grandparents, high
school and college employees, and the general public are aware of TOPS; and
WHEREAS, since fiscal year 1998-1999, over six hundred seventy-three thousand
TOPS awards have been distributed to Louisiana's students at a cost of nearly one billion
nine hundred thousand dollars; and
WHEREAS, for the upcoming school year over fifty-two thousand students will
qualify for TOPS at a cost to the state of two hundred fifty million dollars, while only two
hundred thirty-five million dollars was provided for the program in the governor's budget;
and
WHEREAS, selling the naming rights to TOPS could create another revenue stream
to assist with funding the program and allow state general funds to be used for other
purposes.
THEREFORE, the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana requests that the Senate SSR NO. 3 APPROVED
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Committee on Finance to study the feasibility of selling the naming rights for the Taylor
Opportunity Program for Students and make its recommendation to the Senate no later than
February 1, 2015.
A copy of this Study Request shall be transmitted to the commissioner of higher
education and the executive director of the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance.