Shreveport is trying to get it together again with a new plan for the RRED,
with the latest plan getting it donated from its past owner El Dorado and
its management contracted out. With space of 14 properties, only two commercial
ones occupy it now, local establishments in a departure from the chain-heavy
emphasis that began the RRED’s life a decade ago (not that a few local
operations haven’t failed there as well.)
Then, nightlife, food, and entertainment were featured. This was a
workable formula, given the nearby presence of other such establishments and
the casinos. But it was executed poorly. Parking was a problem with little in
the way of non-casino-controlled spaces but this did not discourage youths who
preferred hanging out more than engaging in commerce from congregating there on
weekend nights, for awhile making the area look like a confined cruising
version of the intersection of Greenwood Rd. and Jewella Ave.
This began suffocating establishments, so the reaction was to slap on an
entrance fee which only helped to encourage the same. Belatedly, banishing the
fee and increased security started to find the right balance but by then the
downward spiral had begun, with two things causing its demise. First, unlike
with the Boardwalk that despite its financial problems has maintained decent
occupancy rates because it could do this on private land, being on public
thoroughfares meant the RRED could not enforce a conduct code. Second, the
casinos have done a tremendous job of self-containing their patrons.
Ignoring these lessons apparently is in the cards for the city’s future
plans, described as making the RRED family friendly by day and a gateway from
casinos to downtown by night. With parking a crapshoot during convenient times,
families won’t have great incentives to pack up the kids and head there with so
many other alternatives around, and the casinos won’t let up on sealing off
their patrons. Perhaps the only chance of success might come by pushing it to
become an upscale entertainment district, to flush out casino patrons and
attract others in smaller numbers willing to pay well for quality experiences,
with plenty of security. This stands the best chance of producing the critical
mass needed to be profitable. At least there are not loans the city will cover
defaults of this time, even if money will go out the door through the
management fee.
Last fall, the city swept the place up and then ... nothing much has happened since. There's still just the two tenants and the city has budgeted another $1.5 million to take care of the district, although about 80 percent of that is to build up a reserve.
Last fall, the city swept the place up and then ... nothing much has happened since. There's still just the two tenants and the city has budgeted another $1.5 million to take care of the district, although about 80 percent of that is to build up a reserve.
By contrast, instead of trying to build and have them come, Caddo
Parish has concentrated on human capital. Flush with money from Haynesville
shale gas royalties and production proceeds, the parish has found itself
subsidizing local post-secondary education efforts. Last year, it plunked down a half million dollars to ramp up a year-long, non-credit certificate
program at my employer Louisiana State University Shreveport. It will pay for uniquely
training as many as 60 individuals to work in computer graphics specifically
geared towards audio-visual industries such as film. This may provide
opportunities for career upgrades for those around here or attract others from
outside the area.
For a one-time, short-term cost this may make sense, even if it’s not
the job of the parish to subsidize education. Nothing like this exists even
remotely nearby, and the local film industry has demand for such training,
epitomized by the Academy Award-winning effort by local state-subsidized
Moonbot Studios. Funds to get things off the ground, as long as this does not
become a regular conduit of taxpayer dollars and LSUS finances it on its own in
the future, are appropriate to build the parish’s job base.
As opposed to what the parish has been allowed to happen with Southern
University – Shreveport’s current aerospace technology program and maybe with
its beginning licensed practical nursing program. SU-S went back to the well
again for another $125,000 from the parish after an initial grant for the former (which gets hefty donations from the private sector as well, such as a Boeing 727 to work on). This kind
of program neither is entirely unique to the area nor, if cost-effective enough
to meet a need, should require any subsidization.
And the case for creating another LPN program, with multiple offerings
both from the private and public sectors in the area, simply isn’t there even
if demand continues to climb for these positions in industry. Why should the
Parish Commission spend another $125,000 to create a duplicate of a program,
for example, already at LSUS? It’s not that SU-S students don’t already
transfer to LSUS to complete educations; one justification for the program was
SU-S students wanted to progress beyond the current certified nursing assistant
program. Or why should taxpayer dollars be spent to pick a winner when the
private sector already is responding in meeting these needs?
1 comment:
Little Jeffie, are you self gratificating again. That will make you go blind.
Post a Comment