Downtown Entertainment District

Momentum Snapshot

• Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s G-Unit Studios leading $124M downtown revitalization
• Bally’s purchase of Sam’s Town Casino sets stage for resort reinvestment and expansion.
• North Market corridor generates $2B annual retail sales: 25 % drawn from visitors

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• G-Unit Entertainment District
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• $78M Millennium Studios upgrade & $34M Stageworks overhaul build world-class production hub
• New immersive G-Dome ($22M) adds live-event & esports draw
• 20-year economic impact: $18.8B, 6,000 jobs, $300 M wages
• State partnership finalized Jan 2026 secures incentives and fast-track permitting

Hospitality & Gaming Upside

• Bally’s to integrate Sam’s Town footprint, unlocking waterfront mega-resort cluster
• Planned upgrades to 514-room hotel & 29 k sf casino floor amplify visitor capacity
• Entertainment TIF district recaptures incremental taxes for supporting infrastructure
• Adjacent pads ready for boutique hotels, food halls & riverfront experiences

Returns & Development Pipeline

Every $1 in downtown revitalization historically returns $18.03 in economic impact
$30 M conversion of historic tower to 117 market-rate apartments underway
Pipeline includes 200 k sf shovel-ready parcels for mixed-income housing & retail
2024-25 jump-start investments added $4.6 M in tech, culture & streetscape upgrades

Key Takeaways

• Entertainment & gaming catalysts de-risk early capital and drive consistent footfall
• Robust state & local incentives lift project IRR and cut payback periods
• Proven retail demand and residential absorption provide multiple exit strategies
• Now is the inflection point—secure prime sites before valuations reset upward

Infrastructure & Incentives

• City committing $4.7 M (FY 25-29) to drainage, roadway & streetscape near studio corridor
• Louisiana film & TV productions earn up to 40 % refundable tax credit, renewed through 2036
• Shreveport permit-streamlining de-risk adaptive-reuse projects
• Designated Opportunity Zone