Caddo’s Proposed $70 Million Sports Complex Is Headed to Voters
The proposed Caddo Parish sports complex is no longer just an idea floating around Government Plaza.
We now have renderings, a projected price, a recommended area and—most importantly—a date when Caddo Parish voters will decide whether the project moves forward.
On November 3, 2026, voters will be asked to authorize up to $60 million in general obligation bonds to help build a massive indoor sports and recreation complex. The entire project is currently estimated at approximately $70 million, with the remaining $10 million expected to come from other possible sources such as parish funds, oil and gas revenue, naming rights and additional revenues.
Parish officials say approval of the bonds would not require a new tax or an increase in the current parish tax rate.
That is the short version. The bigger story is what Caddo Parish hopes to build—and what could potentially grow around it.
This Is Much More Than a Basketball Gym
The proposed complex would contain more than 170,000 square feet of indoor space anchored by 10 flexible courts.
Depending on the event, those courts could be configured for basketball, volleyball, pickleball, wrestling, cheerleading, gymnastics, martial arts, dance, CrossFit and several other sports and fitness activities.
The concept also includes space for camps, clinics, competitions, recreational leagues, practices and year-round community programming. Plans presented by the parish have included studios, family recreation areas, event space and sports medicine services.
For local coaches and families, that could solve a very practical problem.
Many Shreveport-area teams currently depend on individual school gyms for practices and tournaments. A purpose-built facility could place multiple courts under one roof, allowing the area to host much larger events without piecing together space at several schools.
But parish leaders are not pitching this simply as a place for local teams to practice.
They see it as an economic-development project.
The Real Competition Happens Off the Court
Youth and amateur sports tourism has become big business.
A weekend basketball or volleyball tournament can bring hundreds of athletes to a city—and most of them arrive with parents, siblings, coaches and supporters. Those visitors need hotel rooms. They eat in restaurants, buy gas, shop and occasionally turn a tournament trip into a longer visit.
According to projections released by Caddo Parish, the complex could attract approximately 136,500 out-of-town visitors, generate about 31,700 hotel room nights by its fifth year and produce more than $20 million in direct economic impact.
The parish’s feasibility study anticipates approximately 10 basketball tournaments, 14 volleyball tournaments and 10 additional tournaments annually once the facility reaches a mature operating schedule.
Those estimates are projections, of course—not guarantees. The facility would still have to be marketed, managed and booked successfully.
But the opportunity is easy to understand. Shreveport-Bossier sits at the intersection of major highways and within driving distance of Dallas-Fort Worth, East Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi and much of Louisiana. For tournament organizers looking for a regional destination, geography could work in our favor.
As Commission Vice President Victor L. Thomas put it during the presentation, Caddo Parish is the largest population center along I-20 between Dallas and Atlanta.
His argument is simple: it may be time for us to start acting like it.
Where Would It Go?
A final site has not been selected.
The Commission’s Economic Development Committee has recommended focusing on the I-20 corridor west of I-49. Consultants cited interstate visibility, relatively affordable land, nearby hotels and restaurants, traffic volume and room for future development as advantages of that area.
The indoor facility itself is estimated to require approximately 12.5 acres. However, commissioners have discussed acquiring as much as 200 acres to create room for future public and private development.
That larger vision could eventually include outdoor athletic fields, hotels, restaurants, retail, entertainment, an aquatic center, concert space and other recreational amenities.
In other words, the indoor complex could become the anchor rather than the entire development.
Exactly how much land would be purchased—and whether additional property would be retained, leased or sold for private development—has not been determined.
What About Operating Costs?
Construction is only part of the financial picture.
Parish documents estimate annual operating expenses of approximately $2.1 million during the first year, increasing to about $2.4 million by year five.
Revenue would potentially come from tournament and court rentals, concessions, sponsorships, naming rights, leases and special events. Current projections show the facility reaching positive operating income in its third year.
Until then, Caddo Parish says existing Parks and Recreation revenue and general-fund money could be used to cover operating shortfalls.
That is one of several details voters should examine before November. Others include the eventual location, land-acquisition cost, management structure and whether the projected tournament demand becomes reality.
What Happens Next?
Before voters make that decision, Caddo Parish will hold three community meetings in September. Each meeting begins at 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, September 8: LSUS University Center, Red River Room, 1 University Place
Wednesday, September 9: Government Plaza Chambers, 505 Travis Street
Thursday, September 10: Greenwood Acres Family Life Centre, 7530 Greenwood Road
If voters approve the bond proposal, commissioners have said they hope to move quickly, with construction potentially beginning in 2028.
There are still plenty of unanswered questions. There is no final site, no completed design and no guarantee that every surrounding amenity shown in the larger vision will ultimately be built.
But the proposal has clearly moved into a more serious phase.
Caddo Parish is being asked to decide whether a $70 million indoor sports complex is the kind of investment that can attract visitors, create opportunities for local families and help the region compete for a growing piece of the sports-tourism economy.
The renderings are certainly impressive.
Now comes the important part: studying the numbers, asking questions and deciding whether the vision is worth the investment.
Additional project details, financial studies and frequently asked questions are available through the Caddo Parish sports complex information portal.