The Price of Prosperity

Here in Shreveport and Bossier City, we citizens are watching and enjoying an uplifting revitalization of our cities. National retailers and restaurant chains which wouldn't give us a second glance ten years ago are popping up in certain parts of town. Hotels are planned or are being built downtown, by Louisiana Downs, and on the Louisiana Boardwalk. The controversial downtown Convention Center has had a "soft opening," and the events have been well-attended. There's plenty to celebrate. However, Shreveport is Shreveport, and people will find something to complain about.
The stretch of Youree Drive between Southfield road and Bert Kouns Industrial Loop has enjoyed the most dramatic transformation. Five years ago, that area was dominated by cotton fields, vacant lots and declining strip shopping center that was on the verge of blight. Now, it's bright and shiny and new and busy as hell.
Back up a second. Did I say the highway has "enjoyed" a dramatic transformation? That may not be accurate. Some of us enjoy it. Some of us celebrate it. Many others would rather complain about the traffic. If you have to wait through a red light or two, or if you have to wait 20 minutes in a drive-through line, what does it mean? It means we're prosperous. It means people are spending money. It means jobs, growth, vitality. We have grown up here, accustomed to getting "anywhere" in fifteen minutes or less. Now, it may take you fifteen minutes to go a mile on Youree or Airline. This is not something to complain about. This is something to celebrate. However, instead of being energized by it, we fall into the morass of negativity. The local newspaper published an editorial cartoon about Youree Drive traffic.
I went to an event at the convention center and dragged along a familiar companion. On a Saturday monring in downtown Shreveport, traffic was backed up for two or three blocks. I was thinking, "This is cool. Downtown is busy on a rainy Saturday morning. things really are changing around here." What did I hear from the passenger seat? "Well, they're going to have to do something about this." About what? The fact that the parking garage was full? Isn't that a great thing? What if we had been able to zip right in? Inevitably, there would have been a comment something like, "Well,this is a waste of time. Nobody's here."
We were so economically depressed for so long that we have become victims of our own success. Part of our pathology is to look for failure, because we've come to expect it. The Louisiana Boardwalk, open for less than a year, has been a raging success. They're continuing to build and they're bringing in more retailers and restaurants. Yet, you hear comments like "there may be people down there, but they're just walking around. they're not shopping, not spending money." Or this one, "I hear it's a rip-off. My friend went down there and paid seven dollars for a sandwich." Seven dollars for a sandwich? Really? Oh, my God! Let's assume for a moment that IS a rip-off. So, one restaurant charges you seven bucks for a sandwich and the whole boardwalk is a rip-off?
If we are to grow and succeed, we have to allow ourselves to enjoy it. Shreveport has to allow itself to be happy.

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