Could Cross Bayou Development Break Ground in 2019?

Paul Pratt, representative of Gateway Development Consortium, the group behind the proposed 10 year, $1 billion dollar building plan for Shreveport's Cross Bayou area, talks with 101.7 / 710 KEEL's Robert J Wright and Erin McCarty about the status of the plan.

Pratt tells KEEL listeners that GDC has "recently made a presentation at the White House and to the Governor and we'll continue to do presentations to local groups around Shreveport." Pratt admitted that no one from the consortium has had a meeting with Shreveport's mayor, Adrian Perkins, or anyone from the Perkins administration.

Pratt also emphasized that it is important that construction begin before the end of the year for GDC and participating investors to take advantage of "opportunity zone" tax advantages.

Here's more information from a previous KEEL story:

"The development would also consist of a new, 3,500 seat sports arena, a technology based charter school and a 5,000 unit housing development.

Pratt, commenting on similarities between the new Cross Bayou concept and a previous proposal which was voted down by the Shreveport City Council in 2017, said the earlier plan failed "because it was too small." He added that the amount of a possible bond issue to help fund the project is something yet to be negotiated."