Caddo Parish leaders weigh next steps after $60M sports complex defeat
(The Center Square) - Caddo Parish officials say the $60 million sports complex could still move forward despite voters rejecting it Tuesday. However, they plan to review residents' concerns before deciding what to do next. Parish Administrator Erica Bryant said the parish was disappointed by the results but recognized that residents had concerns about the proposal. "We don't consider this a failure," Bryant said. "We consider this an opportunity to hear from our citizens." Bryant said the parish wants to take the opportunity to address voters' concerns, assess those concerns, analyze and determine what their next steps will be. Some residents and groups like the Caddo Parish Republican Party opposed the measure, questioning the amount and whether the parish should prioritize roads, public safety and infrastructure instead of a sports complex. Roughly 58% of Caddo Parish voters, or 39,156, opposed the bond proposal, while 42%, or 28,355, supported it. The measure failed by 10,801 votes. Parish officials maintained that the sports complex would attract visitors, support businesses and generate additional tax revenue to help fund parish services. "We recognize that our roads and our bridges and our streets are important but we also have those other issues that we have
