It seems that everyone was taken by surprise with the announcement that Paradise Casino LLC wants to move a low performing riverboat Casino from Lake Charles to Bossier City.
The plan is for the city to sell land just north of Bass Pro Shops to Paradise Casino for the riverboat casino and a 400 room resort hotel.
This will have to be approved by the Gaming Control Board and by the voters of Bossier Parish in the November election. If those approvals are forthcoming, work would start on the $170 million project immediately and completion would be in mid-2013.
Bossier City Council President David Jones said ‘I believe the citizens of Bossier and of Bossier Parish actually understand the importance of this market’. The new casino is expected to employ around 1200 people.
According to Forbes Magazine, the five riverboats and the Louisiana Downs track casino in the Shreveport-Bossier City market won $61.7 million in April (of 2011), compared with $64 million in April 2010. That market also caters to Texas residents who have had more of their attention drawn to Indian nation casinos in Oklahoma.
Overall the casino market in Louisiana has begun to rebound from the recession.
Will another casino push that revenue up, or will it pull its share from the existing casinos?
That’s the gamble.
Part of it went on gambling, and part of it went on women. The rest I spent foolishly.
- George Raft
Thursday, June 16, 2011
45 comments:
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My only concern is there are no roads leading to that land. Who would be responsible for building the roads. I know that was the land U.L Coleman wanted to build their project on but was talked into the property in south bossier.
ReplyDeleteI would like more information before I say yes.
My only concern is that the city will waste this money as they have with the other money they have got their greedy hands on
ReplyDeleteWith all these casinos we should go ahead and repeal the prohibitions against marijuana and prostitution. Why not go with more vice to draw in new patrons to the casinos? Bossier can be the US Amsterdam and bring in people world wide to sample our goods.
ReplyDeleteA new boat will make the others invest in their property. They have all gotten dirty and run down and are not being kept up. Horseshoe is nothing like it used to be.
ReplyDeleteBass Pro area is congested enough already. How do they plan to channel the extra traffic?
ReplyDeleteIs there ever a project which the Bossier powers-that-be take on which isn't a gamble?
Is patty jack getting so kick back money on this deal?
ReplyDeleteAnon @ 3:41,
ReplyDeleteAsking about kickbacks in Bossier City? Are you crazy? In Bossier City? Surely you're mistaken? Alas, I know you're not, and that's sad.
The rat bastards.
im all for it, increasing the velocity of money is a good thing
ReplyDeleteThe market is already saturated. The area cannot support another boat. There is has already been a loss of revenue due to the Oklahoma casinos. This one will not generate more, it will pull from the ones existing. As for the comment it will require the area casinos to invest more into their property, how will they if they are losing revenue? This will not create more jobs, but create layoffs due to loss in revenue. You will most likely see the end and demise of Louisiana Downs and Diamond Jacks. Neither can support loss of revenue.
ReplyDeleteIf the 3 most important things in business is location, location, location then this is a bad deal for the casino and Bossier. Bad because I know the politicians will spend millions of dollars building roads and buying other property to build the road to lead to the casino.
ReplyDeleteIf I know the council, they will probably donate Cane's Landing to the casino. We should demand the details on this deal. As usual though, Jimmy Hall will probably keep that from the public.
I have never found that criticism is ever inhibited by ignorance
ReplyDeleteDon't worry everybody. If it turns out to be a bad deal then our police and firemen will cover the losses on this too. Stop worrying so much.
ReplyDelete@anon 11:06
ReplyDelete"Bossier can be the US Amsterdam"
what, you mean instead of being one gigantic shopping plaza and traffic clogged parking lot, bossier could be a world class, wealthy, safe and beautiful city drawing millions of tourists that is as nice to live in as it is to visit? the horror.
To the ones who think Bossier City is in good hands, you better think again. The crap that is going on will one day be revealed, and by that time it will be too damned late.
ReplyDeletePeople can't come out and give their names, but they are sounding the alarm; and they are being scoffed at.
Laugh now, because in a few years the laughing will stop, and the people who are laughing now will cry with with us who are already crying.
Jim,
ReplyDeleteToo bad your great blog is hampered by gripers and unhappy people. It is too bad that the general public thinks they are the kook. Shreveport or start your own town.
Anon @10:49,
ReplyDeleteSo, let's all say and think the same thing. Let's all sit around and talk about how great things are. It's people like you who allows shit like what's going on in Bossier to exist.
10:57,
ReplyDeleteI would almost bet anon. 10:49 is one of our council members. At the very least he or she is one who benefits from the crooked s*** that they do. At some point it will all come out in the open and hopefully some of them will go to jail.
The poor folks that discount bossier's success - still live here. Businesses are still coming here - other governments copy bossier - jindal holds bossier out as a model for other Louisiana communities to emulate. People feel safe here - love the schools here - continue to support the leadership here (either through vote or lack of opposition). Only a handful of gripers - and all the doom and gloomers that allege coverup - conspiracy and corruption are so ignorant of the actual facts - they can't see past ther shortsighted noses. As with all frontrunners - always miscreants on the sidelines trying to take you down - I say - keep it up bossier - you are kicking butt and we want it to continue for years to come.
ReplyDeleteAnon at 2:05AM - Why do you think they need to go to jail?
ReplyDeleteAnon @ 7:16,
ReplyDeleteI do hope your Kool-Aid is at the temperature you prefer. I honestly don't know where to begin. Let's start with Jindal. I like Jindal, but he has a problem dealing with reality. Did you listen to his speech at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans last week? I did, and the only thong he left out was the start of Louisiana has been sprinkled in rainbow dust. Businesses are coming to Louisiana by the droves? Really? The last I heard was businesses are dying in south Louisiana due to Obama's moratorium on drilling. Where's the car plant Jindal's been promising in Monroe? Jindal is in campaign mode, so there's little room for the truth.
As for Bossier City and Bossier Parish being held up as a business model? True businesses are building at a recoied pace in Bossier, but you can't attribite an individual's success to government. Let's concentrate on governmental businessa, especially Bossier City, because that's the most glaring. First their $6 million in the hole and have to cut back on employees (including police and fire) and cit the pay of those remaining. Then they found the $6 million; then, oops, wrong again, not there. I guess running the shell game at a carnival can be considered a business.
The Cyber Innivation Center being built before the Air Force announces where they were going to place Cyber Command. The Field of Dreams mentality of "build it and they will come" cost the city, parish, and state how much? I've heard Bossier City alone lost $50 million. I could be wrong on the figures, but what ever the cost was it was still a boondoggle. And the funny part is every now and the some bozo gets on television spouting the success of the CIC and says they're having having businesses breaking down the walss trying to get in the CIC.
The $23 million parking garage that is located at the Boardwalk that's struggling to stay afloat, except for Bass Pro Shop.
Speaking of the Boardwalk, I love the idea of putting a casino in a market where casino revenues are down, and the idiots tryong to bring in the 4th boat is telling us revenues are up. Maybe up from the past year, but not since the begining when the casinos first came.
Then there's the city officials allowing the bubbas they hired to manage the city's arena to run off its two anchor attractions (the Mudbugs and the Battlewings). That was a great business decision there, now you have around 60 open nights where No revenue is coimg in.
Yep! Bossier, a model for others.
You must prefer goat dung to cool aid.
ReplyDelete10:55am
ReplyDeleteDon't forget about the two gas stations the city owns. They will claim they make money for the city. Anyone who uses E85 is spending more money on fuel than just using regular unleaded.
As far as the CIC, I would like to know how much money the 8th air force pays in rent. And being they are one of only two entities in the building just how's does it make money? Let's not forget they are only there for another year and they are going back to barksdale.
The reason why people are mad is because we trusted the mayor and city council and they lied to us.
They said when they built the building that "it was in the bag". When people asked about the need for city owned gas stations the mayor's response was "it's our patriotic duty".
All we want is honesty and our tax dollars spent wisely. It's that too ask?
Anon @ 4:04,
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me about the gas stations. Like I said, where do one begins. There's just too much to remember.
If I recall they were purchased through a grant, but still it's a waste of tax payers dollars, regardless of where the funding comes from.
Another question I have about them is, isn't that the government going into competition the private sector? How patriotic is that?
I remember the "it was in the bag" mentality of the mayor, city, and parish officials. It was hilarious and sickening at the same time. Barksdale AFB was the provisional headquarters for Cyber Command when the Secretary of the Air Force came to make the big announcement that Barksdale AFB was going to be the provisional headquarters for Cyber Command.
I saw the announcement on the news and scratched my head wondering, what has changed? The Secretary of the Air Force was saying what we already knew. The city and parish officials were drooling all over themselves and doing hand flips. One reporter asked Lo Walker, what did the announcement mean, and Lo replied, "That's Air Force talk for it's coming."
Well, Lo, where did it go? It ain't here.
But you, I, and people who see through the bull**** and question it are what's wrong with Bossier, not the people who are making it the business model for others to follow.
Guess what. No wonder BC planted the gas stations. The BC lobbyist is also the lobbyist for Chesapeake Energy.
ReplyDeleteFor all the Bossier political corruption being talked about on this blog, it is obvious Bossier City is doing some things right. Sure, it could be better, but I don't see many people leaving Bossier for Shreveport or any other nearby cities. We live in a city with good schools, police and fire protection. I know we aren't perfect, but I choose to live in this city till perfect shows up.
ReplyDeleteYou don't see people leaving for Shreveport but I do see them leaving for Benton and Haughton. Bossier is slowly but surely developing an inner city.
ReplyDeleteIt use to be close to perfect till Lo Walker took over and began spending money on all his pet projects. Then the city council decided to get in on the action as well.
Bossier is better than Shreveport. We get it. Enough with that argument. It's sad that is your only defense. It won't be for long though. When politicians get corrupt and greedy then eventually businesses and people leave. Hopefully come next election we will get people in there who still care more about the city than themselves.
Oh and by the way, your police and fire are only as good as the power bosses allow them to be. When you cut their pay and their manpower and basically tell them dont expect any of it to be returned anytime soon, just how long do expect them to continue that same level of service as before?
to June 19, 11:04. I think you missed my sentence that said Bossier was not perfect. True, people are moving to urban areas as homebuilding has to expand out of city limits. Obvious as more people move to newer homes in Bossier those homes are being developed in areas that are out of Bossier City just due to land vacancy. You need not preach to me about the mayor or the city council and chiefs of fire and police. My son was laid off in the recent lay-offs in fire/police. The fact that the city rid itself of the Halphen brothers is certainly a right step for the city. One more example of the city setting a new course. I do believe that after the city council elections and new faces are on the board we will continue to see Bossier growing toward excellence.
ReplyDeleteWhen will the argument that we're better than Shreveport ever be put to rest? It is a ridiculous comparison as Shreveport has a high crime rate, bad schools with a brand spankin' new teachers' union, wildly high property taxes, very poor infrastructure design. Anything looks good compared to Shreveport.
ReplyDeleteThe reason people move from Shreveport to Bossier is generally because they still have family and jobs here and want to keep those roots.
However, NW Louisiana as a whole has been decreasing in population for years. Eventually young people realize there's greener pastures in Dallas, Houston, and other big cities in the South.
well said
ReplyDeleteSaying that Bossier is better than Shreveport is faint praise indeed.
ReplyDeleteI also don't understand why those who were born here in Bossier think they are better than everyone else. It is evident that those who have moved here from other places well out number us. I also was born and raised here so I can talk trash. You people need to stop being so snobbish.
ReplyDeleteBeing better than Shreveport has been Bossier's defense for a long, long time. At one time it was true. Bossier was heads above Shreveport, and that is why it flourished and Shreveport diminished. Well, that's not the case anymore. Bossier City is in decline, mostly because of its backward ass thinking, nepotism, and cronyism; and it's getting worse.
ReplyDeleteTrue, Bossier Parish is doing well, but that's due to people with money are leaving Bossier City as fast as they can. That's what happened to Shreveport, and it's happening to Bossier City.
The people who are saying Bossier is better than Shreveport shook their heads at the bone-headed decisions being made in Shreveport are now the ones making the same type of bone-headed decisions for Bossier and praising themselves for it.
In that same vein, Bossier City Council just approved an ordinance allowing the new casino, though no economic impact study has been conducted.
ReplyDeleteAnd they want this casino approval in front of the voters on the November ballot.
Sounds like we have a bunch of people who does not like anything about this area, maybe they need to vacate the state thus improving the area for those who really care about our state and local area!
ReplyDeleteshut the hell up you idiot
ReplyDeleteIt must be lonely in your world. Especially since you believe, you know everything and nobody else can have a different opinion! What a pathetic little person!
ReplyDelete"Sounds like we have a bunch of people who does not like anything about this area, maybe they need to vacate the state thus improving the area for those who really care about our state and local area!"
ReplyDeletePeople are vacating, but it's harming, not benefiting the state and local area.
Boy Sciba, you are really on top of things. The council allowed the Mayor to begin negotiations. The Gaming Control Board is the body that reviews the studies and then the voters will vote. Go back to playing marbles.
ReplyDeleteNo kidding. Matt please quit posting. You do not help anything.
ReplyDeleteIf all of these people know of wrong doing, why don't the contact the AG. Otherwise they are accusatory, miserable, losers.
ReplyDeleteThe AG is going to do nothing. Hall, Marvin, and the AG are all good friends.
ReplyDeleteHey, there is an FBI office here. Or are they also part of the grand conspiracy? Guess it is easier to just make it up.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know dome one hasn't called them.
ReplyDeleteUnethical isn't always criminal.
ReplyDeleteReading the Bossier-ites -- or is it Bossierians? -- bicker among themselves is like that scene in The Nutty Professor where the family, all played by Eddie Murphy, argue around the table.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget the rule posted at the top of the comment section: No "accustory" statements about wrongdoing or criminal acts against anyone.
That sounds like a tagline for a TV news station: Accu-story news at 6:00.