Shreveport City Councilman Oliver Jenkins tells 101.7 / 710 KEEL's Robert J Wright and Erin McCarty that he is "surprised" at the size and scope of a second proposal to develop downtown Shreveport's Cross Bayou area.

Jenkins, who voted against last year's $100 million development proposal, says he doesn't think "bigger is necessarily better" in referring to the just released 10 year, $1 billion plan.Jenkins adds that he has reservations about " a project of that magnitude funded by different government entities." The councilman also expresses concern that, if the state moves its workers from the current Fairfield Avenue location to downtown, "what happens to the existing office building? Is that just another building that's left adjacent to another large building that doesn't have anybody in it either?"

The new Cross Bayou proposal calls for a ten year development which would include commercial and retail areas, a 3,500 seat sports arena and a 5,000 unit housing site. The amount of the ten figure project to be underwritten by the city has not yet been released.

More From News Radio 710 KEEL