Well, it was not really a private gig, for all intents and purposes it had virtually no publicity both before and after the event.
The Shreveport Downtown Development Authority (DDA), the Downtown Shreveport Development Corporation (DSDC) and the State of Louisiana have partnered to fund a series of meetings aimed at promoting downtown Shreveport restaurants and retailers with a $25,000 state grant to DDA that was matched by DSDC.
The event was held on Wednesday (June 17) between 10:30 am and 1 pm at 400 Texas Street.
The DDA is taxpayer funded with a tax renewal on the November ballot. DSDC is a private corporation that owns the downtown parking garage between Travis and Fannin Streets
The DDA sent out a press release the day before—Tuesday—at 3:30 p.m. There was no advance notice in the mainstream media.
Downtown business owners who were polled had no notice of the event.
Not surprisingly the attendance was sparse.
One can only wonder what bang for the buck the $50 thousand will get with the future Lunch and Learn meetings.
John came to Shreveport in January of 1977 when he was transferred to Barksdale AFB.
He’s been active in Shreveport politics since deciding to make Shreveport his home.
John practiced law for 40 years and he now monitors local politics. He regularly attends Shreveport City Council and Caddo Parish Commission meetings.
John is published weekly in The Inquisitor, bi-monthly in The Forum News, and frequently in the Shreveport Times.
He enjoys addressing civic groups on local government issues and elections.