By Ian Robinson | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Caddo Parish voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to approve a $60 million bond for a proposed sports complex that Parish Administrator Erica Bryant says would boost recreation and economic growth without limiting future infrastructure projects.
Bryant addressed concerns about debt, operating costs and infrastructure needs in a statement, saying the parish has more than $225 million in available debt capacity to fund the proposed $60 million bond while keeping borrowing capacity for future capital projects.
Bryant referred to bond financing as “an established and responsible way for governments to make significant investments in long-term public assets.”
“The Parish recognizes debt capacity is not free money, nor should it be treated as such,” Bryant said. “It is a financial tool that lets governments make long-term capital investments while spreading costs over the asset’s useful life.”
Bryant said the parish has a history of responsible debt management, referencing the voter-approved bonds used to build the Walter B. Jacobs Nature Center.
Bryant said the parish’s borrowing capacity must serve both infrastructure needs and long-term development, noting that parish bond funds cannot be used for assets owned by other public bodies.
“Responsible leadership requires balancing today’s obligations with tomorrow’s opportunities,” she said.
Bryant said the sports complex would incur costs beyond construction, including staffing, utilities, maintenance and insurance. She said those costs have been evaluated through operating projections, budgeting and ongoing financial oversight.
The complex would generate revenue through tournament fees, rentals, concessions and sponsorships, with the parish projecting positive operating income beginning in the complex’s third year. Bryant said initial operating deficits would be covered by existing parks and recreation revenues and general fund resources.
Bryant said the complex is intended to attract regional tournaments and events that would bring visitors to Caddo Parish.
“Those visitors would support hotels, restaurants, retailers, and other local businesses, creating economic activity beyond the facility itself,” Bryant said. “Economic activity cannot be guaranteed, but any successful tourism opportunity generates some economic gain.”
Bryant said the proposal represents an opportunity to expand youth athletics, strengthen community recreation and attract regional events. She said fiscal responsibility and community investment must be balanced as the parish plans for future growth.
“Fiscal responsibility and community investment are not competing principles,” Bryant said. “When approached thoughtfully, they are both essential elements of responsible public leadership.”
The Caddo Parish Republicans and state Rep. Danny McCormick, R-Oil City, pushed back against the bond proposition, raising concerns about the project’s cost and the potential burden on parish taxpayers.
The Caddo Parish Republicans and state Rep. Danny McCormick, R-Oil City, pushed back against the bond proposition, raising concern about the project’s cost and the potential burden on parish taxpayers.
The Caddo GOP said Thursday that fiscal responsibility is its main concern with the proposal, which would authorize up to $60 million in general obligation bonds over 25 years at interest rates as high as 7%. The party referred to it as a “significant, long-term commitment of taxpayer-backed debt.”
Party Chairman Matt Kay told The Center Square that approving the bond could leave the Caddo Parish Commission without borrowing capacity for future infrastructure needs unless it increased property millage.
“We have some of the highest property taxes already in the state of Louisiana, inside of Caddo Parish,” Kay said. “We rival Orleans Parish. The financial impact of it just doesn’t make sense to us that we would bond out $60 million for this proposal.”