The Alexandria Riverfront Center
A few months ago, I wrote about a brainstorming session I attended at the Alexandria Riverfront Center. The Alexandria/Pineville CVB invited around thirty people, most of whom were associated, in some way, with local government, to talk about ways to improve and better utilize the ten-year-old Riverfront Center.
I’m not sure what, if anything, was culled from that meeting, but recently, I was reminded that the Riverfront Center is a critical issue in any discussion of Downtown revitalization.
Many people believe the primary problem with the Riverfront Center is that its controlling body, the CVB, charges too much to rent out convention space. They suggest that the CVB engages in trade favoritism with the hotel and motel industry, at the expense of local small businesses and charities who could also utilize the space, if only it were less expensive. (I don’t know enough about the situation to draw a definitive conclusion, but I still find the theory interesting). They consider the CVB to function like a “lobbying group” for local hotels and motels. (If this is the case, then I wonder why Bob Dean’s former manager at the Bentley once told me that one of their main problems was drawing in oft-promised convention business).
Either way, I think we need to take a fresh look at the Riverfront Center. We invested a ton of money in the Center, and already, it’s in jeopardy of becoming outmoded. People in the hotel business will tell you that most hotels undergo dramatic interior “changeovers” every seven to ten years; changeover is just a euphemism for redecorating. They do this because collective consumer tastes CHANGE in time, and for their business to stay profitable, they must be able to identify and accommodate those changes. It seems to me that a convention center must also make periodic reinvestments in its decor and design in order to stay competitive.
Recently, we’ve all been a little distracted by the plans for a downtown sports arena. I don’t want to draw any conclusions about the merits of this project without first knowing where exactly we’re getting the funding for it. That said, it’s obvious that, at this point, planning a sports arena should not be the top priority of Downtown revitalization. I tend to agree that we should be focusing on the most obvious component: the Red River.
Earlier this week, two houseboat owners, Mr. Fine and Mr. Guillory, spoke to our City Council about the incredible potential of the Red River. The City had recently decided to evict all houseboat owners who docked their boats on the Red River. Personally, I’m a little baffled by this. If they couldn’t find a written agreement between these owners and the City, then what exactly is the harm in trying to create one? They’re already planning a marina, and these agreements, we hope, will become necessary anyway. But getting back to the point: Both of these gentlemen understood intuitively why riverfront commerce and revitalization makes sense. Mr. Fine envisioned condominiums, cafes, and boutiques; Mr. Guillory spoke about the profitability of a pier with a full-service fueling station.
Which brings us back to the Riverfront Convention Center:
I wonder what the candidates think about its future. I wonder if the community would support investing money for improvements and even expansion (the outside patio area, I am told, hasn’t been fully-completed).
What do you think?
CenLamar 
The Riverfront Convention Center is the best argument as to why the city has no business in development projects. What was the cost – 27 Mil and I would be curious to know the gross revenue vs operating expense since construction. Put the figures side by side and see how that amortizes. Let’s have a money maker or break even project before we start something else.
Lamar, you are so right! Why can’t we develop the riverfront??!! It is such an asset to this area, and could be such a boon to the economy!! Mr. Fine hit it the nail right on the head!! Mr. Fine for mayor!!
The Riverfront cost about 17 million (mostly state money). If they lowered their rates, most of the hotels would bitch about how the CVB is robbing them of their meeting business.
its this Yet ANOTHER project Brewer tries to take credit for?
But would it be true? Would you really be robbing anyone? Or is there enough time and enough space for everyone?
If you had a choice between meeting at the Riverfront or the Best Western and the price was the same, where would you meet? The Best Western has terrible access.
Hotel/Motel owners like the Riverfront structure the way it is. Just ask them.
I believe the Riverfront should be priced based on the number of “hotel nights” a convention generates.
In fact, if the convention was large enough (Pentecostals, Louisiana Municipal Association, etc.), they should get use of the building for almost nothing.
how much is it to rent the pentacostal church? Rapides parish has its teachers meeting there as school starts?
i guess it must be cheaper than the riverfront center.
The City has argued back and forth about what to do with the management of the Riverfront. For now the CVB has control of it, there are certain councilmen who would like to take it out of their hands and place it in the hands of a management company – someone like SMG who has contracts nationally with other municipalities.
Here’s the problem – you can’t rent the Riverfront Center for 1/2 day. You have to rent it for a full day. It’s not cheap. They don’t plan on making it any less expensive.
Rick Ranson acutally suggested a plan that it you were bringing a convention to town and were going to book 90% or more of the hotel rooms, you should get the use of the center for FREE! What a concept????
Someone – and I don’t really know who, since the CVB presently has the contract to operate the facility – needs to examine what other communities who own these type facilities do to attract users.
Yes, you would to some extent be in competition with LA Convention Centre, the Best Western, even the Holiday Inn Convention Center, but let’s face it – the reality is the Riverfront Center is going to accomodate a center type of meeting, just as these other facilities are. The Best Western can only hold a certain number of people, same as LA Convention Center and the Holiday Inn. The competition theory really doesn’t exist when you look at comparing apples to apples.
The Riverfont Center was built to host large conventions. the ones we couldn’t get because there simply wasn’t enough space. In that mode there really is no competition and it helps by bringing folks here who need hotel rooms. However, it was also designed so that it could be divided into smaller rooms and spaces that could be rented for events. This is when the trouble starts. The center is now in sirect competition with the Best Western, Louisiana Convention Center, etc. Lets face it, if you could rent the lobby space or 1/4 of the Riverfront Center for the same price as the LCC, which would you chose. The Riverfront Center is much nicer and doesn’t smell like a dirty ash tray so most would opt to use it. In my opinion, there should be enough events for everyone to make a little money. As long as they are renting space for a comparable price, let them compete. It may force the others to make some needed improvements to secure thier place in the market.
I think the point about competition has been turned on its side. When I stated that the convention center must make occasional reinvestments in order to stay competitive, I meant competitive with OTHER MARKETS like Shreveport, Lake Charles, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Natchez.
The CVB does manage the Riverfront Center; however, they have no control over the price. Their board sets the price and the City Council, more or less, controls the board. Frankly, I’m sure that the CVB would prefer to let someone else have that headache and get out of “property management” and back to tourism and securing conventions.
Last time I checked the City Council was NOT the only entity that appointed members to the Board of the CVB. Rapides Parish has appointees – even the Chamber has 2 appointees. To say the City controls the board is not exactly the whole story.
Technically, you’re right. It is not the “whole” story. However, if you know anything about the city, you know that Myron Lawson controls everything.
And here I thought it was KJ and AP
Scarlett, I agree with you and will add that it does not say much of us as citizens if one man has that much control. I think that is why we have the second amendment.