The special edition celebrating the past 40 years of chronicling the life of our business community in the pages of Business Report gives one the opportunity to reflect, writes Business Report founder and former publisher Rolfe McCollister in his new opinion piece.
We are often so busy with life today or worrying about tomorrow that we don’t look back to celebrate or learn from the past. Sometimes the issue isn’t the changes we’ve made, but, in fact, it’s those we failed to make—usually because of an unwillingness to abandon the past and embrace the future, McCollister writes.
Too often, opportunities have come … and, unfortunately, gone because we either chose not to pay or didn’t trust the government to be good stewards of tax dollars.
One good example that some may remember was the proposed downtown ALIVE project on the Mississippi River in 2008, McCollister writes.
This was the idea of then-Mayor Kip Holden and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, developed in conjunction with the Audubon Nature Institute. ALIVE was going to be built on the river side of the levee on the batture near the state Capitol.
It was described as “an interactive adventure; a celebration of Louisiana culture; an exploration of places around the world where great rivers meet the sea.” Plans called for a “floating park, outdoor amphitheater for concerts, a dock, river model, satellite station and an area to ‘live in the zone’ around the world.” You can see more in this video from the project.
It would have been a spectacular tourist attraction on the Mississippi River known nationwide, right here in the Capital City.
But the voters of East Baton Rouge Parish rejected the plan, twice. As a result, Baton Rouge missed out on a chance to grow tourism and upgrade downtown.
Is it too late to come alive? McCollister contacted an expert who said, “Definitely doable. Many similar projects have had a major impact on rebranding cities both economically and quality of life.”
Does Baton Rouge need a rebranding? Are we content being known simply as “Louisiana’s state capital?”
It is sad to read the CityStats survey that shows a majority of parents encourage their children to move away to seek other opportunities.
We must turn it around if we want the talent to compete and our businesses to thrive, McCollister writes. ALIVE would take our mayor, Metro Council, legislators, BRAF, BRAC, LED, Visit BR and DDD working together. But it is an example of how Baton Rouge could rally for its future.
Also in his column, McCollister highlights some of Baton Rouge’s wins over the past 40 years, and his own wish list for the city: ideas and projects that could drive change and make the city a place where parents urge their children to stay and build a life.
Read the full column here. Send comments to editor@businessreport.com.
