Once Lively Hotel In Shreveport Now A Crumbling Relic

A once fun hotel and hangout is still sitting (mostly) empty and completely battered on Financial Plaza in Shreveport.

The Ramada Inn has been sitting closed for years. For a long time it was unoccupied, but someone either got bored or desperate, and decided to let themselves in. Since gaining access to the hotel, squatters, vandals and explorers have done their best to trash the place.

But, once this was one of the most happening places in Shreveport. The Holiday Inn Holidome was once bustling with travelers and locals alike, either looking for a place that was a short distance from the airport, or enjoying the indoor area.

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The indoor area had an amazing bar, ping-pong tables, and an indoor/outdoor pool that allowed you to swim under a wall to the inside or outside. It was also a meeting-place for some of Shreveport's higher-ups!

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The great Holidome sat on Financial Plaza in Shreveport for many years, and was considered a great place to spend your layover or delayed flight.

The idea for the Holiday Inn Holidome began in the late 60s when having a swimming pool at a hotel started to become a standard. Several states up North were finding that having a pool was a bit pointless, since the only time they could be used were 2 months during the summer.

Therefore the idea of an indoor heated pool started being kicked around. Before the brainstorming was over, the brains behind the Holidome had come up with an entire indoor activities and recreation area built on to the hotel.

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The Holidome quickly caught on up North, and a few Holiday Inn managers down South started to take notice. After a time, Holiday Inn Holidomes began popping up around the Southern states, Florida and Louisiana among them!

The building now is in complete disrepair. But, an auction took place this month, and the property came up for bid. It seemed that the bank was going to try and buy it back, but a local business man was able to get the large piece of property for just under $100,000.

No word yet on what the plan is for the property, but the building being in this condition, I would assume it would be a complete demolition job.

Let's have a look at what the place looks like now. (SPOILER) Not good...