Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[dan326]

I need to go find LSU's The Daily Reveille,

I tried looking on the website, but they don't have the article. But finding one of the copies shouldn't be to hard as they have the little news racks all throughout what I think they call the "Quad", of course I just call it the courtyard area. And speaking of LSU , if you go up to the 4th floor of Middleton Library you can see tha state capitol, two other buildings and the I-10 bridge. And on the other side you can see Tiger Stadium and several other buildings. It seems like Tiger Stadium is bigger when your higher up. I'm sure you probably already know, but the stadium can seat 92,000 people. I remeber looking at a list and think it might be one of the 10 or 15 biggest stadiums in the nation.

Edited July 21, 2006 by dan326

[NCB]

You really just have to sit back and love all of this, huh Richy? You look through everything and see everything going on in New Orleans, Jefferson Parish, Saint Tammany, Tangipahoa, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and beyond, even with all of these hurricanes, droughts, and everything else, SE Louisiana is moving forward, and in a big way!

[dimebag1980]

You really just have to sit back and love all of this, huh Richy? You look through everything and see everything going on in New Orleans, Jefferson Parish, Saint Tammany, Tangipahoa, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and beyond, even with all of these hurricanes, droughts, and everything else, SE Louisiana is moving forward, and in a big way!

It's a testament to the strength of this state's economy and the people.

I don't care what the rest of the country says, the economy in this state is awesome right now.

[richyb83]

You really just have to sit back and love all of this, huh Richy?

Yeah you right !!! I love Louisiana, eventhough all the negative things that have happened and all become a positive. Louisiana is tremendously underated IMO. Especially with it's cultural status. It's great we all are proud of where we are. I used to get very tired of people pronouncing our state Loose-iana or Lousy-ana.

I'm not ashamed of Louisiana, plenty of other places have their fair share of problems too. I believe the future is bright for our state !

[richyb83]

It's a testament to the strength of this state's economy and the people.

I don't care what the rest of the country says, the economy in this state is awesome right now.

So true, so true. Louisiana and it's people are very resiliant. Fall down, get back-up again ! "Smooth Sea's Do Not Make a Skillful Sailor". Wait til Jindal get's those offshore royalties they Louisiansa is due...and all the movies that have/will be made. The cycle maybe moving toward more positive trends.

Edited July 21, 2006 by richyb83

[richyb83]

Mall of Louisiana Expansion Plans will include:

*adding 177,000 sq.ft. of shopping and restaurants between the mall and the new Rave15 Movie theatre.

*21,ooo sq.ft. Bookstore

Future plans call for building a 200-room hotel on top of some of the stores and adding two parking decks

Construction to start this Fall and be completed by Fall 07'.

I remember seeing this being the new opened-air addition to the mall. That's the national trend. The name will be called "The Boulevard" if I remember correctly. This will all tie-in to the Picardy Overpass/Extension near I-10 and be about 1/2 mile from the new Perkins Rowe urban village. That's going to be ALOT !

http://www.businessreport.com/dailyreport.cfm

[richyb83]

but the stadium can seat 92,000 people. I remeber looking at a list and think it might be one of the 10 or 15 biggest stadiums in the nation.

Nate and I were talking about Tiger Stadium not long ago. I would have to agree...defintely Top 15, maybe Top 10... I need to check that !

BTW LSU's Football team should be in the pre-season Top 10 too !!!

[NCB]

BTW LSU's Football team should be in the pre-season Top 10 too !!!

Many of the publications I've seen also have it in the pre-season Top 5 this year. Geaux Tigers!!

I seriously want to see the real Tigers absolutely demolish Auburn this year. I just can't stand any Auburn sports.

[richyb83]

Agreed. I have a strong dislike for Auburn too. BTW on the pre-season All SEC teams(1st,2nd,3rd) announced earlier today, Auburn was the only team with more players than LSU....14 to 12. I guess they will just have to settle it on the field. Auburn doesn't even know their own nickname...War Eagles, Tigers, Plainsmen.

[NCB]

Agreed. I have a strong dislike for Auburn too. BTW on the pre-season All SEC teams(1st,2nd,3rd) announced earlier today, Auburn was the only team with more players than LSU....14 to 12. I guess they will just have to settle it on the field. Auburn doesn't even know their own nickname...War Eagles, Tigers, Plainsmen.

Yea, Auburn and LSU normally have some great games. But one thing I've noticed, whenever Auburn is cocky or favorite before a game with LSU, they normally get trounced by our Tigers. And you better believe I expect the same thing to happen this year.

And as for the nickname thing, I still don't get it. I've had Auburn fans try to explain the War Eagle thing, but it just doesn't make sense. Pick a mascot and stick with it. I've heard the Tigers, War Eagles, Plainsman, and Indians as mascots for Auburn, sometimes even all at once.

[dan326]

Mall of Louisiana Expansion Plans will include:

*adding 177,000 sq.ft. of shopping and restaurants between the mall and the new Rave15 Movie theatre.

*21,ooo sq.ft. Bookstore

Future plans call for building a 200-room hotel on top of some of the stores and adding two parking decks

Construction to start this Fall and be completed by Fall 07'.

I remember seeing this being the new opened-air addition to the mall. That's the national trend. The name will be called "The Boulevard" if I remember correctly. This will all tie-in to the Picardy Overpass/Extension near I-10 and be about 1/2 mile from the new Perkins Rowe urban village. That's going to be ALOT !

http://www.businessreport.com/dailyreport.cfm

In the next few year Baton Rouge will defianitly be an important shopping destination (at least regionally) with all these shopping centers going up. I wonder how many people come from around the the area and take little day trips just to shop?

[dimebag1980]

Yeah you right !!! I love Louisiana, eventhough all the negative things that have happened and all become a positive. Louisiana is tremendously underated IMO. Especially with it's cultural status. It's great we all are proud of where we are. I used to get very tired of people pronouncing our state Loose-iana or Lousy-ana.

I'm not ashamed of Louisiana, plenty of other places have their fair share of problems too. I believe the future is bright for our state !

My older borther calls it Lousy-Anna and it ticks me off. He also has a case of Shreveport-itis that I'd like to cure. But hey, if you screwed yourself out of an education and can't make it in the world, don't blame your city and state, podnuh, blame yourself.

[richyb83]

My older borther calls it Lousy-Anna and it ticks me off. He also has a case of Shreveport-itis that I'd like to cure. But hey, if you screwed yourself out of an education and can't make it in the world, don't blame your city and state, podnuh, blame yourself.

The blame-game is a natural componet; that's the card some of those Katrina victims were playing that had the chance to leave, but chose to stay.

[richyb83]

I tried looking on the website, but they don't have the article

Hey Dan, I found the article on the website..."Room for Rent". I don't understand some of the "quotes" in the story...300 rooms in Sheraton,300 rooms Capitol House hotel = 600 people downtown ? That's one person per every room ? huh And it says RiverPlace groundbreaking in Fall, then it says construction will start sometime before January ? Which one is it ? The ball needs to get rolling, don't wait for another Hurricane to delay the project again ? Start ASAP !

http://www.lsureveille.com/media/storage/p...lsureveille.com

[NCB]

My older borther calls it Lousy-Anna and it ticks me off. He also has a case of Shreveport-itis that I'd like to cure. But hey, if you screwed yourself out of an education and can't make it in the world, don't blame your city and state, podnuh, blame yourself.

A Louisianian pronouncing it Lousy-Anna? Now that's something that has always annoyed me, almost as much as when I hear a true New Orleanian say "New Orleens" in a normal conversation, though that almost never happens. A lot of people in SW Arkansas say Lousy-Anna and I can deal with that, but c'mon, you're from here!

[dimebag1980]

A Louisianian pronouncing it Lousy-Anna? Now that's something that has always annoyed me, almost as much as when I hear a true New Orleanian say "New Orleens" in a normal conversation, though that almost never happens. A lot of people in SW Arkansas say Lousy-Anna and I can deal with that, but c'mon, you're from here!

I'm not saying he pronounces it Loosee-Anna, I'm saying he pronounces it Lousy-Anna, as in he hates it here "because there is no opportunity in this poor state."

But I always counter with, "Of course there's no opportunity when you dropped out of high school AND lost a grant and a scholarship for not showing up to college!!!!!" Rock on, Mr. Bartender!!!!

Oh, and New Orleens bothers me as well. WTF!?!?

Edited July 21, 2006 by SBCmetroguy

[NCB]

^Yea, there is plenty of opportunity in this state if you actually work for it.

And as for New Orleens, I think this quote from gumbopages explains it pretty well:

First off, <new or-LEENS> is generally a no-no. It's like putting a big, red neon sign on your head that says, "I'm not from around here." As also mentioned above, the two main exceptions are when it's pronounced like that in song lyrics (easier to rhyme, but contributes to the confusion of non-natives) and when "Orleans" stands alone without the "New", as in Orleans Parish.

And if you are a born and bred New Orleanian, and you pronounce the name of this city 'New Orleens,' you will be thrown into the Mississippi River.

[dan326]

What kind of things does it take to support an international airport?

[NCB]

What kind of things does it take to support an international airport?

Just to make sure, you're talking about international passenger flights right?

[dan326]

Just to make sure, you're talking about international passenger flights right?

Yes.

[NCB]

Well you need multiple things to be able to suppor international flights, here are some of the basic things you need:

First off, you obviously have to have the facilities to support the planes and flights coming from all over the country and from outside of the country. The runway's have to be long and wide enough, constantly in very good shape, and you've got to have enough of them.

You also obviously need to be in a location that can support the airport, both in terms of local usage, regional usuage, and of course, money. And with that comes a reason to have an airport drawing people from all over the world. New Orleans for example, is by far the largest airport in the state and the Gulf Coast outside of Houston, so it draws local usage from all over south Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. It also draws all kinds of tourists from across the county and world for events like Jazz Fest, Mardi Gras, Conventions, and of course, just for the fact that it is a very popular tourist destination without any specific events.

[dan326]

Thanks.I was asking because I was talking to my mom and I said that the Baton Rouge airport could probably make a lot of money offering interantional flights,but she said the city was too small. Of course, they must have money coming from somewhere, since they're adding all these new expansions. But I guess it's baby steps at a time. I know that they did start adding more direct flights.

[NCB]

Thanks.I was asking because I was talking to my mom and I said that the Baton Rouge airport could probably make a lot of money offering interantional flights,but she said the city was too small. Of course, they must have money coming from somewhere, since they're adding all these new expansions. But I guess it's baby steps at a time. I know that they did start adding more direct flights.

Yes, more direct flights to other cities across the country, and eventually maybe even international flights can be huge for a city and its airport. Though IMO I don't think Baton Rouge's airport will become a serious international airport as long as Louis Armstrong International continues to draw direct flights from all over the country and international flights from places like Asia, Europe, the Carribean, and Mexico. Instead of Baton Rouge continuing to invest in a major airport, and New Orleans possibly building a new and much larger airport, I think a much smarter investment would be to build a joint New Orleans/Baton Rouge Intl Airport, somewhere between the two cities, possibly in Tangipahoa Parish. That way, you would have a smaller version of Dallas-Ft. Worth International, where you have one very large airport serving to large metro area's, and would continue to draw people from all over the state and the Gulf Coast for outgoing flights. I think in the long run that would benefit both New Orleans and Baton Rouge much more than just planning upgrades and expantions to their own airports. If New Orleans and Baton Rouge begin to join together on a number of planning projects, from an airport and new highways to light rail, I think SE Louisiana would become a larger and much better connected place in a number of ways.

[dan326]

Yeah, I think that probably would be a good idea.

[NCB]

Yeah, I think that probably would be a good idea.

As Greater New Orleans and Greater Baton Rouge continue to grow outwards towards each other, I fully expect to see this area becoming very connected over the next decade and beyond. Eventually, we'll see commuter rail connecting New Orleans and Baton Rouge, new interstates in the area that will help connect the two cities and alleviate some traffic off of I-10, and other projects to help connect the two metro area's in terms of transportation. Also, the two cities have already become more connected demographically, as there are many former New Orleanians in Baton Rouge who still commute to New Orleans, and there are always many people from Baton Rouge in New Orleans playing tourist. And I think that the day that Greater New Orleans and Greater Baton Rouge combine to form one major metro area of over 2.1 million is not as for down the road as some may think.