JOHN E. SETTLE JR.
What will be the Gemini and Centaur Mardi Gras parade routes next year?
Currently, no one knows.
The contracts with both krewes with the city of Shreveport and both the Krewe of Gemini and the Krewe of Centaur that allow the current routes down Clyde Fant Parkway, Shreveport-Barksdale Highway and East Kings Highway have expired.
Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins has had talks with both krewes to discuss parade routes, costs of the parades and other parade issues.
The column below, “Does Shreveport Have the Money to Support Mardi Gras Parades?” was published on Feb. 14, 2020.
This column did not address the loss of sales, and, thus, sales taxes to the city, from those retail establishments along the Shreveport-Barksdale route like Walmart, Super One and others.
And it did not mention the severe neighborhood congestion in the Broadmoor area west of East Kings Highway that hampers emergency rescue/fire personnel.
One idea that has been floated is to have the parades on both parkways that flank the Red River.
Clyde Fant Parkway has six miles of riverfront pavement, and the Arthur Ray Teague Parkway has approximately the same amount.
One parade could start on the east side of the river and one start on the west side. The Jimmie Davis Bridge would provide passage for the parades from Shreveport to Bossier, and vice versa.
The dual parade routes do require, of course, the approval of Bossier City as well as the Shreveport City Council.
Bossier Mayor-elect Tommy Chandler takes office on July 1. Chandler has promised to bring change to Bossier.
Shane Cheatham is Chandler’s pick for Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). Cheatham is from South Bossier, and he has pledged to bring economic development to that area.
How they stand on bringing the Mardi Gras parades to Bossier City is an open question.
Chandler has his hands full trying to keep the current council from entering into longterm contracts that may hinder this administration. Thus, it’s doubtful he will take any position on what could be another controversial issue before taking office.
Cheatham must be approved by the new council that also takes office on July 1. Although his appointment should be approved as a matter of mayoral privilege, it cannot be taken for granted with the returning council members. Some of the returning council members are not particularly happy with Chandler’s election or Cheatham not taking office as the new council member from south Bossier to become the CAO.
And then there is the resistance of Gemini and Centaur krewes, and possibly the residents along East Kings Highway, who have front door viewing of the parades.
One thing is for certain: Perkins.
Perkins should ask for funding from the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau as well as the Caddo Commission and the Bossier Police Jury. These groups, along with the city of Bossier, made contributions to the Port City Fest that was part of the Bayou Classic football game.
There are, of course, ancillary issues to be resolved with riverfront parades.
This is primarily access to the routes along with parking.
There are many large parking areas near both parkways that could be utilized with the assistance of SporTran to transport spectators to and from parade routes.
Perkins is to be commended for reviewing this hot-button issue.
Mardi Gras in the Ark-La-Tex has become a big business.
But it’s a business with big costs to the city of Shreveport that are not shared by other governmental bodies that receive the same benefits as Shreveport. And certainly not by the hotels/motels on both sides of the river that benefit greatly from the parades.
THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE May 7 ISSUE OF FOCUS SB - THE INQUISITOR.