There is NO room in the inn, I mean the Shreveport Aquarium, for a live whale. And I doubt there is room for a whale skeleton in the Sci-Port Discovery Center, but maybe the Shreveport Convention Center?
But there IS room for an economic whale, not just a gar, in the west Shreveport Industrial Park, and for an economic whale in the new downtown economic district.
For purposes of this column, an “economic whale” is being defined as a business that will make a substantial capital investment here and bring a gigantic economic benefit to an area. I am referring to the proposed data center and the proposed $500 million LED grant to Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.
The Shreveport City Council can “land” a whale this Thursday at the Council meeting. The magnitude of the Council vote will equal if not exceed the Council’s approval of needed conditions to “land” the Amazon Fulfillment Center. A simple majority vote can approve the proposed data center.
As far as a whale getting beached in the Shreveport downtown area, that decision will be made in Baton Rouge. Reports seem to indicate that it will happen.
A data center approval by the Council will be an economic milestone for Northwest Louisiana.
An LED grant to Jackson will, at a minimum, be an economic boom for the Shreveport Bossier area.
A totally empty whale net will certainly be a big step back for economic development in Shreveport and Northwest Louisiana.
It's whale season in Shreveport. I know that many have put on their Santa Christmas list a whale or maybe two. On Thursday afternoon, Shreveport residents wanting a data center will get their wish aor a lump of coal. The timeline on the LED grant is unknown, but Santa could come again this year.
