Good morning, everyone.
Thank you to the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce for inviting us to speak today—and thank you all for being such steadfast partners in moving Shreveport forward.
Let me begin with this simple truth: This administration isn’t just improving economic development—we started in November building what’s not existed before: a fully functional, modern economic development department for the City of Shreveport.
In most cities, an economic development department has market data, ongoing projects, and working relationships.
In Shreveport, we didn’t have that luxury. We are building the internal structure and delivering immediate wins for the business community.
In short, we are building the engine and driving the car at the same time.
That’s intentional. We cannot ask entrepreneurs and business people to wait for us to get our house in order before we deliver results. So, we’re taking bold, parallel steps.
Let’s talk about what economic development means in today ‘s world.
Economic development today is no longer about wining and dining prospects, giving them a city tour, and hoping they decide to relocate. That model is outdated and ineffective. The field has fundamentally shifted—from Business Retention and Attraction (BRA) to Business Retention and Expansion (BRE).
Why? Because chasing big relocations often means spending years and resources courting companies who are ultimately driven by the size of the incentive package, not the strength of the community.
The real, sustainable growth comes from supporting the businesses already invested in our city. Those companies use local products and services. To give a quick example, a Starbucks might seem like a great win, but they purchase 75%-80% of products and services from outside the market. And 100% of their profits leave. A local coffee shop like Rhino buys about 85% - 90% from other local businesses and their profits support local families.
The new model of economic development is called “Economic Gardening”, which focuses on cultivating diverse industries and businesses, so that no community becomes dependent on a GM or Libby Glass for thousands of jobs.
Focusing on helping local firms grow through access to data, talent, and strategic resources proves far more effective. In terms of business attraction, it’s a lot of hitting singles and doubles rather than swinging for the fence every time.
Does that mean we won’t go after big companies, of course not. However, we can’t lose focus on companies already invested in the city.
And that’s exactly the direction we’re heading in Shreveport.
The mayor’s small business task force laid it out clearly: Our city was burdened by complexity, delays, silos, and outdated systems. Too many entrepreneurs felt like they needed a connection inside Government Plaza just to get a straight answer. That is not how you grow an economy.
Mayor Arceneaux made it clear—those days must end. And they are.
Let’s talk about what we’re building.
We’re focusing on mission-driven initiatives with three core objectives:
1) Retaining and growing our existing businesses
2) Creating a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem
3) Attracting new investment.
This department is about building capacity and connection across the city, Parish, region and state.
Last week, we launched our new One-Stop Economic Development Website. Built 100% in-house, it’s designed as a single source for businesses. No more broken links. No more wondering where to start. The goal is simple: get people from idea to opening, faster and with fewer headaches.
We started using IMPLAN, a national economic modeling platform that provides data and analysis for Shreveport to tell our story to site selectors and businesses require to evaluate our market.
We’ve recently upgraded the MPC website—the first time in five years—to make zoning and planning more transparent and user-friendly.
We’ve contracted with Retail Strategies to create the first market analysis in several years to proactively identify and attract retail and commercial investment. This isn’t anecdotal or aspirational, it’s data-driven and it will bring measurable ROI to Shreveport.
We’re forging strong economic partnerships with:
The DDA, NLEP, LED, SUSLA, LSUS and LSUHS to grow a pipeline of skilled, local talent; a companies’ first need are trained workers.
And with all of you Economic Development isn’t about silos. It’s about aligned economic partners.
Now, while we build this new department, we are also modernizing how people do business with the city.
Besides what I just mentioned, here’s a snapshot of what’s happening right now:
✅ ABO Cards + Liquor Licenses – We’ve moved the forms online and extending renewal timelines.
This helps our small businesses—and it helps the Shreveport Police Department by cutting down on in-person appointments, saving literally hundreds of man hours for inspections and enforcement. We now allow businesses to begin the license approval process before completing the purchase. That saves weeks—sometimes months—on openings. This helps speed up approvals and makes Shreveport a good place to open.
✅ Event Permits – Again, online and streamlined for safer, easier event planning with less red tape, again, saving time for the SPD.
✅ Modernizing Vendor/Supplier Registration, by reducing needless forms and moving online, we are opening doors for local small businesses to do business with the city.
✅ Adjudicated Properties – We’re working closely with the Shreveport Implementation and Redevelopment Authority, to return underutilized properties to commerce. That means more opportunity, more tax revenue, and neighborhood revitalization.
✅ FDA-Compliant Kitchen – We’re working with SUSLA to establish food manufacturing opportunities for local chefs and food entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses. The closest FDA kitchen is LSU in BR.
✅ Unified Development Code (UDC) – We’ve initiated a long-overdue review of the UDC to eliminate regulatory friction and support creative adaptive reuse. We don’t want innovation to die because of red tape and cumbersome or outdated zoning regulations.
These aren’t minor tweaks. These are systems-level upgrades. They say to our entrepreneurs: we see you; we value you, and we’re clearing the runway for your growth.
Let’s be honest, Shreveport is playing catch-up.
Cities like Baton Rouge, Chattanooga, and Birmingham have moved faster over the last decade.
But that’s not a reason to stay where we are.
That’s a reason for accelerating.
We’re not patching potholes in our development strategy. We’re rebuilding the road. This is not just economic development, it’s economic transformation.
Our opportunity now is to embrace smart systems, innovation and our own accountability.
Mayor Arceneaux’s vision is clear: Shreveport will be a city that works for all business, from small startups to legacy employers.
To the Chamber, especially Tim Magner,—thank you for being a force multiplier. Your voice and leadership will help make this vision a reality.
This administration is committed to keeping the doors open, the processes clear, and the momentum moving forward.
Shreveport isn’t just open for business—we’re finally making it easy to do business. And with your partnership, we’re not just rebuilding—we’re reinventing.
Thank you.