Shreveport's Stagnet Population (Lafayette, Monroe, Haynesville: casino, relocate to, yard)

[imaterry78259]

What would it take to get Shreveport back on track???

[JimLFT]

Originally Posted by imaterry78259

What would it take to get Shreveport back on track???

Wasn't the Haynesville Shale field attracting lots of new investment in SBC? Not saying it will draw any corporate headquarters there, but lots of service companies have opened in the area, including my own employer. Plus, its probably pumping lots of bucks into many locals' bank accounts from royalties. And those locals spend money in town on cars, homes, etc.

I-49 north may also have an impact once completed....

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by JimLFT

I-49 north may also have an impact once completed....

It may be 20 years before it's completed in Arkansas. No telling when it will be completed to New Orleans.

[mezzogirl]

I think it depends on who you want to attract to the area...
If you want to draw in young families, S'Port will have to shake it's casino/oil and gas identity, and shift to a culturally vibrant area with a focus on good public education. If you want to attract business investors and companies, show off all the available land and provide giant tax breaks for developing companies. If you want to attract young singles, beef up security in the downtown area, where youngin's like to go barhopping. And supply them with lots of music and hangout venues.
I think probably the biggest effort needs to be made on deciding a cultural identity for Shreveport. I would never desire for S'Port to become "little Austin" or even worse- "little Dallas," because S'Port is not and will never be those places. And you know what? That's a good thing! Create something special and exclusive for the northwest corner of Louisiana and own it. A great place to start is going to the museum in downtown and learning about the colorful history of the area and go from there.
I think I-49 will help expose Shreveport more, but think about when you drive interstate through any city...ugh. It always exposes the ugliest parts of the place- you know, the houses that are held together by roach eggs and litter flung under the urban "art." You would have to work hard to clean up that perception. Just some stuff to think about. If we ever have the opportunity to move back, I hope to be an integral part of seeing this city come back to glory.

[imaterry78259]

Redevelop the Lakeside/Allendale and Lower Highlands area would be a good start. HOw about new loft condos housin on Pierre Ave/Milam area and North Fairfield and Southern Ave

[Cowboybootnut]

I think the downtown area needs to be re-developed or cleaned up. Texas Avenue (HWY 80) from the downtown area westward is a blight.

[imaterry78259]

Too much blight and white flight in the area

[BeenThereDunThat]

Say you're a young person with a new college degree and unless you're in the medical or oil/gas industry... your starting salary in Shreveport-Bossier is lower than in DFW, LR, BR, NoLA, Houston, Austin, OKC, etc. Where are you going to go? ANSWER: Anywhere but Shreveport-Bossier. You can argue that the cost of living in those places is higher than here, okay maybe so. But you get a lot better in amenities, lifestyle options, city infrastructure & services... all those things that make for a quality of life. Here in Shreveport-Bossier the C of C promotes quality of life as if it were a Southern Living magazine article. Lots of flair but not a lot of substance.

20 of the top 50 privately held companies in Shreveport-Bossier are automotive related (car dealerships, supply, repair, support). If that's your thing....you're good to go. But unless you're wearing a white coat or hardhat on a pipeline or compression station, the starting salaries are lower than average.

And.... colleges and universities are cutting back degree programs forcing students to seek preferred degrees out-of-state. Not exactly the smartest plan for keeping our "best and brightest".
The only population growth through the years has come through annexation and that's been dubious at best. Annexation without increased tax payments means higher costs for sewer, water, infrastructure, city services, etc. And that's been debated a lot lately.

This area is great if you're retired. Really not bad for that at all. But when I retire it sure as heck won't be here. And I'm from here.

[fbbertusa]

Shrevport is not anywhere as bad as people have posted,Bossier City is a growing city.They do both have problems and could have been something else just as every other city could have . They both beat living in NO. /BR. And the area around them such as Benton are the Gem of N La. This is country living not crowed city life.I am the father of a girl that moved here 4-5 years ago and She and Her Husband have both progressd very well in BC.He went from pizza del. to a $22 An hour job in less than 2 years up here,My daughter went to college here after leaving BR and is now a REG. Nurse . That is hard to bet anywhere !!! My wife and I moved to the country outside SBC and we love it .SBC does not have a crime rate that is out of control.We have all nationalities up here and we all get along. As been there dun that says its a great place to retire ,to long and to much of anyplace Your not doing well is almost always misserable,but one less retiree makes it that much better.Nothing against You BTDT.It was that way for Me in BR.

[Cowboybootnut]

I lived in Shreveport in the 1980s, and moved to the Dallas area in 1990 to present. One big difference is the Dallas area has a lot of hi-tech industries, and financial institutions. Its not just oil and gas.