Lafayette update (New Orleans, Shreveport, Lake Charles: construction, casinos, tax)
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... There is no doubt the city has culture but why not invest in downtown to emulate your culture like other cities. I compare Lafayette with Asheville, NC. Go there and see what an inferior city to Lafayette can do
It's regrettable that your visit didn't meet your expectations. However, I don't think your expectations were properly fitted to our city. You contrasted Lafayette to other cities, and then expressed disappointment that it isn't as much like the others as you'd expect?
No offense, but this isn't the fast food industry. You seem to like your cities to be like burger joints. You can can walk into any one of them and see theat they're all the same... just different flavors. That's not Lafayette. Lafayette doesn't fit the same mold as other cities, and I hope it never tries to.
It's unfortunate that you didn't have a nice visit. I'd encourage you to revisit with better informed expectations. I'm sure you would have a fantastic, albeit very "un-cookie-cutter", time.
The city could make a better presentation when coming in form I H10. The city's travel department could advertise ti promote the city better. There is no doubt the city has culture but why not invest in downtown to emulate your culture like other cities. I compare Lafayette with Asheville, NC. Go there and see what an inferior city to Lafayette can do
Investment into downtown Lafayette has been significant from civic organizations, just not by commercial developers. No major high-rise project is in the works, nor do I expect any soon. Downtown has literally taken on the role of party central during off hours.
I like your comparison to Asheville. While neither city really has a counterpart, yours is probably the best suggested. Similar downtowns, tourism, food and scenery, but it ends there. Opposites culturally. The two cities both have done wonders to market themselves, and quite successfully.
Interstate presence is a mixed bag. What do you want to show off as a city? If it's a city-scape, Lafayette is a podunk four-exit non-event. Lafayette didn't develop along the interstate. And thank your lucky stars that we didn't. Had I-10 traversed the core of this city, major delays would have been our gift to all of you.
I hear Lafayette has one hell of a mardi gras celebration as well. Too bad you didnt visit the area w/ more of an open mind. If you were expecting something along the lines of California or New York, then it's likely that you would be dissapointed. But if you were looking for a nice getaway and experiencing southern culture then you'd enjoy it.
At one time, the main exit at the I-10 and I-49 was a sight to see. It had a modern shopping mall, movie theaters, restaurants, and it ultimately led to Jefferson St which brought you to downtown Lafayette. For some reason, the money in Lafayette parish began moving south. Instead of developing northward (resulting in lower insurance cost for Hurricanes), they moved south and left the once vibrant north Lafayette to rot. The mall is still there but is a hallow shell of what it once was. The area around the mall is no where near as properous as it once was. However, travel south and you see large beautiful buildings, larger shopping mall, beautiful housing developments, and other benefits lacking in North Lafayette. We do have broadway plays which play occasionally at the Heymann Performing Arts Center, formerly known as the Lafayette Municipal Auditorium. It's not large but it does have good acustics. Lafayette is the city to visit not so much for it's sights, but for it's proximity to the sites in the surrounding area. Avery Island, swamp tours (beautiful nature photography), hunting, fishing, festivals, boating, etc are all within easy distance from our city.
At one time, the main exit at the I-10 and I-49 was a sight to see. It had a modern shopping mall, movie theaters, restaurants, and it ultimately led to Jefferson St which brought you to downtown Lafayette. For some reason, the money in Lafayette parish began moving south. Instead of developing northward (resulting in lower insurance cost for Hurricanes), they moved south and left the once vibrant north Lafayette to rot. The mall is still there but is a hallow shell of what it once was. The area around the mall is no where near as properous as it once was. However, travel south and you see large beautiful buildings, larger shopping mall, beautiful housing developments, and other benefits lacking in North Lafayette. We do have broadway plays which play occasionally at the Heymann Performing Arts Center, formerly known as the Lafayette Municipal Auditorium. It's not large but it does have good acustics. Lafayette is the city to visit not so much for it's sights, but for it's proximity to the sites in the surrounding area. Avery Island, swamp tours (beautiful nature photography), hunting, fishing, festivals, boating, etc are all within easy distance from our city.
Actually, the Northside is starting to come back. Lots of restaurants popping up along the service roads, a large Lowes store, the old Northgate 8 CInema I used to work at got turned into a fitness center and the old Service Merchandise in the northgate Mall is a call center. Then of course they built that huge shopping complex off the Louisiana avenue exit. They fixed up that old Tractor supply shop off I49 into Ranch Outlet and cleaned up Prejeans and expanded it. Things are really looking up for the Northside of town lately.
Actually, the Northside is starting to come back. Lots of restaurants popping up along the service roads, a large Lowes store, the old Northgate 8 CInema I used to work at got turned into a fitness center and the old Service Merchandise in the northgate Mall is a call center. Then of course they built that huge shopping complex off the Louisiana avenue exit. They fixed up that old Tractor supply shop off I49 into Ranch Outlet and cleaned up Prejeans and expanded it. Things are really looking up for the Northside of town lately.
We went to Ranch Outlet last Christmas for Santa photos with our two year old daughter. What a place! And the new center at LA Avenue at I-10 is convenient from Rayne, Crowley, Breaux Bridge etc. Super Target, JC Penney, Office Depot, Chick Filet. You would do much worse taking the Ambassador exit to the southside for all of the same stores. But yet, many will out of habit.
You mentioned the AT&T Mobility call center (population 2000+) who deals with EVERYTHING nationwide regarding cell phones, whether Blackberry or I-Phone. I recently had to activate an employee's I-Phone and literally got a jokingly invitation to lunch from that call center for the I-49 Chili's!
But, to date, I'm thinking the crown jewel of "upper Lafayette's" new development is the Flight Safety training center. Folks, there's only a handful of cities world-wide who has one of these. One-hundred twenty million dollar facility that employs IT and well-trained aviation professionals, as well as the usual for any company. Not one smoke stack except for the virtual ones aft of a Sikorsky 76 or 92.
Should also mention some nice new housing developments in the 200K range on Carencro's southside.
Then there's the Acadian Ambulance training center. Wife's relative is coming back in town for paramedic training at the training facility. The relative is in the military and the military is sending him to this training facility here. I agree about the Carencro area building up but when you exit I-10 at I-49 with the intention of going to Lafayette, you drive through the Northgate Mall area. What do you see? Run down motels, closed businesses, idiots trying to cross the 50mph road, shopping carts in ditches, garbage (including booze bottles), and the view gets worse when you cross the train tracks. The Northgate Mall area was once the business center of Lafayette. Sure, Northgate Mall has a grocery store (which closed off mall access unlike the old Winegarden and Safeway), Home Depot (not even attached to the mall), and a phone call center (also with no mall access), but once you go inside the mall, it's like a ghost town and is scary sometimes with the type of customers who go into the mall. I think a new mall between Carencro and Opelousas would be great.
Then there's the Acadian Ambulance training center. Wife's relative is coming back in town for paramedic training at the training facility. The relative is in the military and the military is sending him to this training facility here. I agree about the Carencro area building up but when you exit I-10 at I-49 with the intention of going to Lafayette, you drive through the Northgate Mall area. What do you see? Run down motels, closed businesses, idiots trying to cross the 50mph road, shopping carts in ditches, garbage (including booze bottles), and the view gets worse when you cross the train tracks. The Northgate Mall area was once the business center of Lafayette. Sure, Northgate Mall has a grocery store (which closed off mall access unlike the old Winegarden and Safeway), Home Depot (not even attached to the mall), and a phone call center (also with no mall access), but once you go inside the mall, it's like a ghost town and is scary sometimes with the type of customers who go into the mall. I think a new mall between Carencro and Opelousas would be great.
Its true that the I49 corridoer through the city is very misleading an looks awful. The city has plans to revitalize it but has met with strong resistance for over a decade. People dont want to move out of their little shotgun houses I guess. They are content with living in a ****hole.
Then there's the Acadian Ambulance training center. Wife's relative is coming back in town for paramedic training at the training facility. The relative is in the military and the military is sending him to this training facility here.
Haven't seen it, but will make it a point to visit. I was an Army combat medic, but there was nothing that I'm aware of like this academy at the time to assist us in the transition to a civilian career as a paramedic. Good work Acadian, and great to hear that the DOD is now offering this benefit.
I never did take my Army-trained EMT skills any further other than to teach a few CPR classes after my discharge.
But how sweet would it have been to be SENT to my own hometown for additional training??
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