Today's paper has three pages of coverage on the proposed $1 billion Cross Bayou Point development.
The Dec. 6 issue of The Inquisitor included eight pages of exclusive coverage with information and pictures on this project — "Where will it be and what is there now."
The Dec. 13 issue of The Inquisitor included six pages of additional information — "Necessary steps before groundbreaking."
Collectively, these 17 pages provide more information on this proposal than has been reported by all the other media combined.
This information should be invaluable to all evaluating this proposal. The city council will probably have this project on their agenda for the Jan.14 meeting.
The developers are requesting that the Shreveport City Council pass a resolution for the city to enter into a binding memorandum of understanding to support this project. After that, a binding master development agreement must be negotiated and approved by the council.
Shreveport Major Adrian Perkins must approve both the memorandum of understanding and the master development agreement.
After completion of these first two steps, the venue changes to Baton Rouge. The developers need a binding commitment from Gov. John Bel Edwards to lease a state office building that is to be part of the project. This means moving the personnel and offices in the state office building on Fairfield Avenue to the new building .
Next up, the developers will seeking a commitment from the Caddo Commission. This one is to lease a newly constructed Justice Center to house all the people and offices in the Caddo Courthouse at 500 Texas St. The district attorney offices in the Ward Building will also be housed in the new Justice Center, and maybe other public offices.
Another approval needed is from the Red River Waterway Commission to hard bank the shores of Cross Bayou. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has jurisdiction over the Cross Bayou bed, its surface water and its banks up to the high water mark. Undoubtedly, the Corps will need to approve of the hard banking and other development on the banks of Cross Bayou.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be need to approve the remediation of two Brownfield sites in the project's footprint. These are the locations of General Scrap and the old Confederate Shipyard.
Since many historians believe that there are four Confederate submarines located in the area along the bayou, the developers may need approval to build over this site from government agencies.
The proposal includes the construction of multi-use outdoor sports stadium. Current plans are for this to be the home of a professional soccer team. Presumably, a binding commitment from the United Soccer League (or some other soccer league) is also a requirement.
And lastly, the developers must be able to obtain the requisite financing for this entire project.
Many of these steps can be pursued at the same time or in a different sequence. However, the developers have repeatedly advised that the first step is with the city of Shreveport and the second with the governor.
THESE THREE EDITIONS ARE ONLINE at www.theinquisitor.com IF YOU ARE A SUBSCRIBER. IF NOT, SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO READ.