McNeese holds ribbon cutting to officially open new LNG Center of Excellence

The LNG Center of Excellence at McNeese State University, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, officially opened on April 20, 2026 after a ribbon-cutting.

The goal of the facility, located on West Sale Road, is to serve as a critical link where education, industry, government and the community can collaborate on LNG-related education, research and best practices.

It’s designed to prepare a workforce equipped to support one of the largest energy sectors in the world.

7News spoke to an LNG representative about the value of this center and what it means for the future of the LNG industry here in Louisiana.

“At Woodside, we made a $17.5 billion commitment here in Southwest Louisiana in April last year,” he said. “That’s for our foundation LNG project. That huge investment was really made with conviction around the people here in Louisiana, the skills and the opportunity. This is really the epicenter of LNG here, and what better place to have the center of LNG excellence right here in Southwest Louisiana with McNeese University?”

More on this story at KPLC.