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BAKER, La. (AP) — A Baptist church association is pursuing ambitious plans to build a retreat and convention center in Baker at the site of the former Leland College, a historically significant black Baptist school that closed in 1960.
The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/1Otdkbn) the land has sat mostly idle since the college's closure, drawing numerous proposals over the years for development possibilities, including a museum, residential developments, shopping centers and even a brewery. None of those plans, however, aligned with the goals of the college's board of trustees, which still owns and maintains the 227-acre site.
But in recent years, Rev. Jesse Bilberry, moderator of the association and pastor of Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church says the Baton Rouge-based Fourth District Missionary Baptist Association has faced a shortage of space for events and educational programs.
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Information from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com
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