Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Project Decision topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Caddo Parish committee approves site recommendations for proposed $70M Catapult Sports Complex, adds urban‑area review
Summary
The Caddo Parish Economic Development Committee voted to accept preliminary site recommendations for a proposed Catapult Sports Complex and authorized the CEO to advance the project, while directing staff to include consideration of urban‑core sites. The commission emphasized passing a $60 million bond on Nov. 3 as the next step.
The Caddo Parish Economic Development Committee voted to accept site recommendations for a proposed Catapult Sports Complex and authorized the CEO to take necessary steps to advance the project, the chair said.
The motion, moved by the chair and seconded, was amended on the floor to explicitly include review of urban‑core sites and then passed without opposition. Chair (speaker 1) framed the action as a step to allow administration to pursue property options and developer engagement ahead of the Nov. 3 bond election.
CEO Erica Bryant told commissioners that voters will be asked on Nov. 3 to approve a $60,000,000 bond proposition to fund most of the project. "This complex, would actually cost about 70,000,000," Bryant said, noting the bond would cover the bulk of construction and that additional phases could follow.
Discussion before the vote centered on where the facility should be located and whether inner‑city parcels should be evaluated along with highway‑corridor properties. Commissioner Burrell pressed for urban‑center consideration, arguing redevelopment in core neighborhoods could better serve residents and reduce barriers to access. The chair and other supporters said the administration should be directed to look at sites across recommended corridors and to review urban options as part of the follow‑up work.
The committee did not approve a site purchase at the meeting; the vote authorized staff to continue negotiations, evaluate parcels and bring recommendations back to the commission. Committee members repeatedly said the priority is securing voter support for the bond on Nov. 3 before making binding property commitments.
Next steps identified by staff include focused property due diligence, conversations with local hotels and commercial interests in corridors where the complex is eventually sited, and outreach to the public via open houses once the commission narrows the preferred area.
