SHREVEPORT, La. — A growth adviser working with G-Unit’s expansion in Shreveport is urging voters to support continuation of the property tax that funds the Downtown Development Authority, citing the importance of downtown redevelopment to the city’s economic future.
Orville Hall, appointed by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as a growth adviser for G-Unit’s Shreveport expansion, endorsed the Downtown Development District millage proposition ahead of Tuesday’s election.
In a letter submitted to The Shreveport Open Press, Hall pointed to Millennium Studios and StageWorks as major downtown assets with the potential to return to active commercial use.
“Few municipalities nationwide can claim two downtown specialized assets like Millennium Studios and StageWorks that are available and ready to be put back into active commerce,” Hall wrote.
Hall said the Downtown Development Authority was created to help preserve and expand private and public investment in downtown Shreveport and argued that its long-term funding structure allows the organization to address challenges that can take years to resolve.
“The DDA’s mission is to work to preserve and expand both private and public investment in Downtown Shreveport,” Hall wrote. “To ensure the organization’s long-term viability, those visionaries established a funding mechanism that is paid only by downtown property owners.”
The proposition before voters would continue the Downtown Development District property tax for 25 years, from 2028 through 2052. The existing authorization, approved in 2002, expires at the end of 2027.
Revenue from the millage supports DDA operations, property acquisition, economic development initiatives and debt retirement.
Hall concluded his letter by urging voters to support the proposition and vote “yes to the Shreveport we all want and deserve.”
The endorsement comes as G-Unit continues building its presence in Shreveport, with Jackson and his companies pursuing entertainment and production investments centered in and around downtown. Millennium Studios and StageWorks have been among the properties connected to those efforts.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.