Shreveport’s Office of Economic Development has spent the past nine months in overdrive, rolling out a slate of initiatives aimed at streamlining business processes, attracting investment, and tackling long-standing barriers to growth.
It’s been years since Shreveport had a fully dedicated economic development department. Since November, the mayor office has been building the foundation of a new department and delivering results at the same time.
Much of the current agenda was shaped by Mayor Tom Arceneaux’s Small Business Task Force and recommendations from the Cities Work report. The office has forged new partnerships with agencies including Louisiana Economic Development (LED), the North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP), Downtown Development Authority (DDA), Southern University Shreveport, LSU Shreveport, LSU Health Shreveport, the Shreveport Chamber, and the city’s congressional delegation — all to accelerate Shreveport’s economic trajectory.
Cutting Red Tape for Businesses
One of the office’s earliest moves was overhauling liquor licensing and Alcohol Beverage Outlet (ABO) permitting. New two-year liquor licenses and three-year ABO cards have replaced annual renewals for most businesses, while a new conditional license allows restaurants and grocery stores to open sooner. This reform has already helped projects like Fumbles Bar & Grill and Total Wine move forward without costly delays.
The city is also bringing SPD permitting into the digital age. ABO card applications are now fully online, and liquor license and event permits are moving to the same platform. Officials estimate that digitizing roughly 5,200 annual applications will save time for both applicants and police officers, shifting SPD resources from paperwork to inspections and enforcement.
Opening City Contracts to More Local Vendors
Recognizing hurdles faced by small businesses seeking city contracts, Shreveport has simplified vendor registration by consolidating requirements and launching a web-based form with integrated instructions. The aim: to make it easier for small local businesses to qualify for procurement opportunities.
Reviving SIRA and Redevelopment Tools
The Shreveport Implementation and Redevelopment Agency (SIRA) is being reactivated as a key tool for fighting blight and unlocking underused properties. Interim Director Bonnie Moore is working on adjudicated properties and exploring brownfield remediation programs.
Outside of SIRA, the city has also facilitated major redevelopment deals, securing a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) program for Petroleum Tower and clearing liens to facilitate the sale of the Oak Meadows site.
Targeting Retail and Industry
A partnership with Retail Strategies — involving BRF, SWEPCO, the Metropolitan Planning Commission, and others — is aligning market analysis and recruitment under a single plan. The group’s findings, due in October, will guide retail attraction efforts in 2026.
Meanwhile, the launch of a One-Stop Economic Development Website centralizes resources on incentives, site selection, permitting, and quality of life. Step-by-step business “checklists” are already available for retail, restaurants, food trucks, and home-based enterprises.
Fighting Blight, Addressing Homelessness
Shreveport’s Block by Block Task Force, part of a Bloomberg-Harvard innovation initiative, is examining code changes and enforcement strategies to tackle vacant properties, crime, and illegal occupancy in neighborhoods like MLK, Allendale, and Cedar Grove.
On homelessness, the city is seeking a $400,000 grant with Providence House to double shelter capacity and reduce squatting in vacant homes.
Building a Skilled Workforce
Economic development is also working to expand training programs that meet the needs of local tech and manufacturing employers — that will both help companies find talent here in Shreveport while connecting under-skilled residents and military personnel transitioning from Barksdale with higher-paying carers.
Laying the Groundwork for Long-Term Growth
Other projects include exploring a federally compliant commissary kitchen to boost food entrepreneurship, studying options for retail in North Shreveport and the MLK area, and reviewing the Unified Development Code to identify outdated business restrictions.
“Since November 1, 2024, we’ve been delivering immediate wins while building a stronger economic foundation,” said Bill Sabo, the city’s director of economic development “We’re creating the conditions for sustained growth — and we’re just getting started.”