Shreveport council approves Film and Entertainment Gateway economic district amid questions about studio flooding and timeline

The Shreveport City Council voted Sept. 9 to create the Film And Entertainment Gateway Economic Development District, approving Ordinance 97, which authorizes local sales- and use-tax increment financing to support economic development projects within the district.

Council members and members of the public debated the plan's near-term effects on production and downtown development and raised questions about persistent flooding at Millennium Studio that could delay activity. City staff and a project representative said mitigation work is underway and that some productions could start as soon as fourth quarter 2025 or first quarter 2026, but no firm production schedule was guaranteed.

The ordinance, moved by Councilman Jackson and seconded by Councilman Green, passed on a 6-0 vote. The ordinance cites state enabling authority for local economic development districts (part 2 of Chapter 27 of Title 33 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended) and defines district boundaries and the mechanism by which certain local and potentially state sales- and use-tax increments will be captured and used to finance development inside the district.

Why it matters: city officials framed the district as a tool to direct private investment into downtown Shreveport, support restaurants and retail near production sites and create jobs without raising a new tax rate for residents. Supporters in public comment said the project could be the largest economic development effort led by an African American developer in North Central Louisiana and urged intentional branding to maximize tourism benefits.

Key details and debate: Mike (city administration) confirmed the ordinance will not impose additional taxes on residents; it captures incremental tax revenues generated within the district (not an added tax rate). Multiple council members and public commenters raised the ongoing flooding at Millennium Studio. City staff said engineers now believe the flooding is not only from a collapsed pipe but from surface-water interception issues; additional diversion work is planned and some production work is being routed to Stage Works where feasible.

Project representative Temple, answering council questions, said that Stage Works expands the city's production options, and a development team is in active discussions with an executive producer about programming. Temple estimated—without committing to a fixed schedule—possible initial productions in Q4 2025 or Q1 2026, saying the timeline depends on creative development and remediation work.

Public commenters supported the district but urged renaming and stronger branding. Craig Lee and others suggested branding tied to Sam Cooke and broader cultural tourism to attract visitors and investment. Commenters representing neighborhoods with flood histories, such as Ledbetter Heights, urged caution given longstanding drainage issues near the Red River.

What the council adopted: Ordinance 97 creates the Film And Entertainment Gateway Economic Development District, authorizes the use of captured sales- and use-tax increments to finance projects inside the district, and references the state statutory authority. The motion passed 6-0 (Taylor, Brooks, Butcher, Jackson, Green, Bowman recorded as voting yes). No council member recorded a vote against or an abstention on the ordinance during the roll call vote recorded in the meeting.

Next steps and limitations: The ordinance establishes the district framework and financing mechanism; individual projects and incentives inside the district will require follow-up approvals and, in some cases, private-sector commitments. City staff said mitigation of flooding and completion of interior improvements at leased properties (for example, tenant improvements and IT/phone work) are prerequisites for some tenants. The council did not set a firm production start date; staff and the project representative gave only an estimated earliest window for initial productions.

Council context: Council members noted earlier administrative briefings and a set of follow-up questions answered during a master plan committee meeting. The council also voted on multiple budget and administrative ordinances in the same session; those votes do not change the district's financing mechanism but affect city budgets and related appropriations.

Ending note: The measure is now on the books as Ordinance 97; details about specific projects, finalized tenant agreements and exact timelines for production remain dependent on mitigation work, private-sector commitments and subsequent city approvals.