Advocates for preserving Shreveport’s historic Fair Grounds Field are rallying local government officials to join their campaign against the City of Shreveport’s plans to demolish the multi-purpose stadium. The group, Friends of Fair Grounds Field, hosted a luncheon in Queensborough this week, where they presented their vision for renovating the stadium and discussed potential partnerships for its ownership and management.
“We had a great turnout of local leaders,” said Bill Robertson, a representative of Friends of Fair Grounds Field. “We shared our beautiful renderings of what Fair Grounds Field could look like after renovation, as well as our ideas for multi-party ownership and management of the park.”
The event, held at Bilberry Park, was attended by State Representative Steven Jackson, representatives from the offices of State Rep. Joy Walters, Caddo Parish Commissioners John-Paul Young, Gregory Young, Roy Burrell, Caddo Parish Administrator Erica Bryant, School Board members Dr. Bonita Douzart and Mary Trammel, and City Council members Tabatha Taylor and James Green. Other notable attendees included former Parish Commissioner Lyndon B. Johnson, Queensborough Neighborhood Association President Stevan Walpool, and incoming State Fair of Louisiana Board Chairman Henry Burns.
Linc Coleman, a supporter from the Shreveport-based U.L. Coleman Co., emphasized the stadium’s significance as a key quality-of-life feature for the city. “To recreate it today would easily cost $50 million,” Coleman stated. “We can renovate it for pennies on the dollar.”
Coleman also criticized the City’s decision to proceed with demolition, noting that officials have not provided professional studies to substantiate claims that the stadium is structurally unsound. He added that requests by Friends of Fair Grounds Field to have independent experts assess the facility have been denied by the City.
Architect Christopher Coe, another advocate for preservation, argued that the stadium’s construction—cast-in-place concrete—makes it durable, likening it to a “World War II bunker.” Coe’s architectural renderings propose a renovation that incorporates red brick and cast stone to complement the adjacent State Fair Agriculture Pavilion, evoking a nostalgic aesthetic reminiscent of iconic stadiums like Fenway Park.
Vanita Williams, a longtime Queensborough resident, urged the elected officials to support the preservation effort. “I’ve campaigned for each and every one of you,” she said. “Now I want you to campaign for me and save this stadium.”
Parish Commissioner Roy Burrell highlighted the broader impact that renovating Fair Grounds Field could have on the surrounding area. He noted that Queensborough has long been neglected despite its role as an “economic engine” for Shreveport, and revitalizing the stadium could help uplift the entire community.
Friends of Fair Grounds Field is also raising concerns about the potential health risks associated with the demolition, specifically the threat of exposure to toxic histoplasmosis from bat feces. The group has called on the State Department of Health to intervene and ensure public safety before any demolition work begins.
The City of Shreveport has allocated $600,000 in federal aid from the American Rescue Plan to fund the demolition, a move that Friends of Fair Grounds Field is contesting. Robertson expressed doubts about the appropriateness of using ARP funds for this purpose and has asked Louisiana’s Congressional delegation to review the allocation.
Supporters of the preservation effort can view the architectural renderings and sign a petition at Friends of Fair Grounds Field’s Facebook page and Change.org.