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BOSSIER CITY, La. — Bossier City Councilman Chris Smith has withdrawn a proposal to create an Entertainment Development District aimed at generating dedicated funding for improvements in the city’s East Bank, Boardwalk and entertainment corridor.
Smith announced the decision in a statement Friday, saying continued concerns from businesses and residents showed that the proposal needs more planning and broader community support before moving forward.
“Over the last several days, it has become clear to me that there are still significant concerns within our business community and among the public,” Smith said. “It has also become clear that more work needs to be done defining the long-term vision, identifying specific projects and priorities, and building broader confidence in how a structure like this would operate before Bossier City is ready to make a change of this magnitude.”
The proposed Entertainment Development District, or EDD, was intended to create a dedicated revenue stream that could be reinvested in the area through infrastructure, public spaces, events, marketing and other amenities designed to increase tourism and encourage private investment.
Smith said the concept was based on development districts used elsewhere in Louisiana, where dedicated revenues have been used to support economic development.
“The objective was never simply to collect more money,” Smith said. “The objective was to use a dedicated revenue stream to grow the economic pie enough that businesses, the district, and ultimately the entire City benefited.”
The proposal had drawn scrutiny in part because of the additional tax that would have been imposed within the district.
Smith said proponents attempted to address those concerns by developing a public-private governance structure that would give businesses operating within the district a role in determining how the additional revenue was spent.
According to Smith, businesses within the proposed district were notified by mail three times, three community meetings were held and more than 100 individual or group meetings took place with business owners, stakeholders and members of the community.
He said the proposal changed substantially during that process, including revisions to its boundaries, governance structure and accountability provisions.
Smith also acknowledged what he described as a key shortcoming in the effort: supporters spent too much time explaining how the district would work before clearly showing the public what the additional revenue would accomplish.
“Perhaps our biggest mistake was spending too much time explaining the mechanism before we had fully developed and communicated the vision for what that mechanism would accomplish,” Smith said.
That left businesses and residents asking what specific improvements they would receive in return for the additional tax, he said.
Smith said any future attempt to establish a similar district should begin with a more clearly defined long-term development plan, identifiable projects and priorities, and broader agreement among businesses and residents who would be affected.
“This one needs more time,” Smith said. “Therefore, I am withdrawing the EDD proposal from consideration.”
Despite withdrawing the proposal, Smith said the underlying economic-development issues remain.
He said Bossier City still needs to invest in its entertainment assets, strengthen partnerships with the private sector and compete for visitors, businesses and private investment with other communities in Louisiana and across the region.
“The goal was never to pass an EDD,” Smith said. “The goal was to make Bossier City stronger. That remains the goal.”
Smith announced the decision in a statement Friday, saying continued concerns from businesses and residents showed that the proposal needs more planning and broader community support before moving forward.
“Over the last several days, it has become clear to me that there are still significant concerns within our business community and among the public,” Smith said. “It has also become clear that more work needs to be done defining the long-term vision, identifying specific projects and priorities, and building broader confidence in how a structure like this would operate before Bossier City is ready to make a change of this magnitude.”
The proposed Entertainment Development District, or EDD, was intended to create a dedicated revenue stream that could be reinvested in the area through infrastructure, public spaces, events, marketing and other amenities designed to increase tourism and encourage private investment.
Smith said the concept was based on development districts used elsewhere in Louisiana, where dedicated revenues have been used to support economic development.
“The objective was never simply to collect more money,” Smith said. “The objective was to use a dedicated revenue stream to grow the economic pie enough that businesses, the district, and ultimately the entire City benefited.”
The proposal had drawn scrutiny in part because of the additional tax that would have been imposed within the district.
Smith said proponents attempted to address those concerns by developing a public-private governance structure that would give businesses operating within the district a role in determining how the additional revenue was spent.
According to Smith, businesses within the proposed district were notified by mail three times, three community meetings were held and more than 100 individual or group meetings took place with business owners, stakeholders and members of the community.
He said the proposal changed substantially during that process, including revisions to its boundaries, governance structure and accountability provisions.
Smith also acknowledged what he described as a key shortcoming in the effort: supporters spent too much time explaining how the district would work before clearly showing the public what the additional revenue would accomplish.
“Perhaps our biggest mistake was spending too much time explaining the mechanism before we had fully developed and communicated the vision for what that mechanism would accomplish,” Smith said.
That left businesses and residents asking what specific improvements they would receive in return for the additional tax, he said.
Smith said any future attempt to establish a similar district should begin with a more clearly defined long-term development plan, identifiable projects and priorities, and broader agreement among businesses and residents who would be affected.
“This one needs more time,” Smith said. “Therefore, I am withdrawing the EDD proposal from consideration.”
Despite withdrawing the proposal, Smith said the underlying economic-development issues remain.
He said Bossier City still needs to invest in its entertainment assets, strengthen partnerships with the private sector and compete for visitors, businesses and private investment with other communities in Louisiana and across the region.
“The goal was never to pass an EDD,” Smith said. “The goal was to make Bossier City stronger. That remains the goal.”