Dr. Loren Scott: Bossier City region poised for strong economic growth
Plus — Bossier City Police incidents and arrests report: September 28-30, 2025.
Monday, October 6, 2025
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Dr. Loren Scott: Bossier City region poised for strong economic growth
The Louisiana Economic Outlook, presented by economist Dr. Loren Scott on October 4, 2024, at the Port of Caddo-Bossier, projects a period of robust job creation and economic expansion for Northwest Louisiana — driven by manufacturing, logistics, technology, and military investments.
Major business expansions
One of the most significant announcements came from Benteler Steel/Tube Manufacturing, which plans a $21 million expansion at the port. The project is expected to create 49 new jobs, underscoring continued confidence in the region’s industrial infrastructure.
Amazon also remains a dominant employer in the Bossier City region. As of mid-2024, the company’s SHV1 fulfillment center employed roughly 2,200 workers, with ongoing expansion anticipated to bring its local workforce to about 3,700 employees by 2027. In addition, a 40,000-square-foot warehouse opened at the port in December 2024, further supporting logistics and supply chain growth.
Data centers and emerging industries
Dr. Scott’s forecast highlighted technology as a powerful growth engine. New data centers planned for the Resilient Technology Park west of Shreveport include a 1-million-square-foot facility and a 104,000-square-foot office building — developments expected to generate thousands of high-skill jobs and long-term infrastructure investment.
Overall, the outlook anticipates over 74,500 new jobs statewide by 2027, a 3.7% increase in employment. In Northwest Louisiana alone, roughly 5,700 new jobs are projected within the next two years. These gains come despite headwinds such as tariffs, higher interest rates, and cautious business sentiment.
Military and education: local economic pillars
Barksdale Air Force Base continues to anchor the regional economy, employing more than 9,000 people. Construction is underway on a $210 million Weapons Generation Facility, slated for completion in 2026, which will further expand defense-sector employment and investment.
Education is also contributing to economic momentum. Louisiana State University Shreveport (LSUS) has seen enrollment more than double since 2016, bucking statewide trends. This academic growth complements regional workforce development initiatives aimed at aligning local talent with new industry opportunities.
Statewide outlook and energy sector
Dr. Scott’s projections show Louisiana’s real GDP rising 1.5% in 2025, 1.8% in 2026, and 2.5% in 2027. Policy changes—particularly those easing energy permitting and supporting fossil fuel development—are expected to bolster industrial output.
A projected increase in natural gas demand from Europe and Asia, coupled with the construction of new LNG export terminals, could stabilize and strengthen the state’s energy economy. Locally, expansions such as Ascentek’s $50 million facility and Ochsner LSU Health’s $43 million project reinforce the trend of private-sector reinvestment.
Outlook: optimism amid caution
While Dr. Scott acknowledged that rising interest rates and tariffs could temper growth, he emphasized that the surge in data infrastructure development represents a potential “gold rush” for Northwest Louisiana.
From manufacturing to technology, logistics, health care, and defense, the region’s diversified economic base positions it for continued expansion — making the Bossier City–Shreveport area a cornerstone of Louisiana’s long-term growth story.
Dolet Hills Power Station to be imploded and demolished today
The project brought the first and only lignite-fueled power plant to the region nearly 40 years ago. Today, it will be destroyed.
The Dolet Hills Power Station near Mansfield will be destroyed with a controlled implosion of the main boiler structure and iconic 525-foot stack today, October 6. at 8:00 am.
“The implosion will be the most visible and dramatic phase of a comprehensive decommissioning and site redevelopment effort currently underway at the 650-megawatt plant, which was decommissioned in 2021 after serving Louisiana’s power grid for over three decades,” Total Wrecking & Environmental, the company in charge of the demolition, said in a release.
The 12-story main boiler building and the towering 525-foot chimney stack, a long-standing landmark in DeSoto Parish, will be safely felled using high-precision, engineered explosive techniques to minimize environmental impact and ensure public safety.
Law enforcement, emergency personnel, and environmental monitors will be on-site to manage safety zones and ensure adherence to best practices.
Originally brought online in 1986, the site is being repurposed to support renewable energy infrastructure.
The decommissioning project will also include:
The dismantling of turbine buildings, lignite silos, cooling towers, and conveyor systems
Demolition of auxiliary structures, such as fuel and chemical tanks
Environmental remediation, including asbestos abatement, removal of residual waste, and the safe closure of underground utilities
Concrete from demolished structures will be crushed and reused onsite as backfill during final grading operations.
Key infrastructure — including the main switchyard, guard shack, and warehouse — will remain intact and protected throughout the project.
Bossier City Police incidents and arrests report: September 28-30, 2025
Hour by hour. Day and night. This is BossierNow’s reporting of Bossier City Police Department incidents and arrests. This report covers the actions that occurred from September 28-30, 2025.
All persons named or shown are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
09/28/2025 01:01:00 Incident 4600 block Voss Dr Bossier City, La Unauthorized Use Of A Motor Vehicle (Active)
09/28/2025 01:11:00 Arrest 300 block Riverside Dr Bossier City D/P - Drunkenness (Misdemeanor) White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 26
09/28/2025 01:11:00 Incident 1700 block Old Minden Rd Bossier City, La D/P - Drunkenness (Cleared By Arrest/Adult)
09/28/2025 01:18:00 Arrest 300 block Riverside Dr Bossier City D/P - Drunkenness (Misdemeanor) White Or Caucasian, Female, Age 26
09/28/2025 01:25:00 Arrest 1700 block Old Minden Rd Bossier City D/P - Drunkenness (Misdemeanor), Fugitive Arrest - BPSO (Misdemeanor), and Remaining After Forbidden (Misdemeanor) White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 27
09/28/2025 02:31:00 Incident 2400 block Barksdale Blvd Bossier City, La Theft - Shoplifting (Cleared By Arrest/Adult)
09/28/2025 03:08:00 Incident 700 block Live Casino Blvd Bossier City, La Criminal Trespass (Cleared By Arrest/Adult)
09/28/2025 03:13:00 Arrest 2400 block Barksdale Blvd Bossier City, La Theft - Shoplifting (Misdemeanor), D/P - Drunkenness (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 40
09/28/2025 03:26:00 Arrest 700 block Live Casino Blvd Bossier City Criminal Trespass (Misdemeanor) White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 22
09/28/2025 11:05:00 Incident 2000 block Orbit Dr Bossier City, La Criminal Mischief - Tamper W/Property (Exceptionally Cleared)
09/28/2025 11:26:00 Incident 5300 block Hollyhock Ln Bossier City, La Simple Assault (Active)
09/29/2025 00:00:00 Incident 700 block Margaritaville Way Bossier City, La Simple Burglary - From Motor Vehicle (Active)
09/29/2025 00:57:00 Arrest 2000 block Airline Dr Bossier City, La Failure To Appear - Driving Under Suspension (Misdemeanor), Failure To Appear - Driving With Defective Headlight (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 50
09/29/2025 01:18:00 Incident 700 block Horseshoe Blvd Bossier City, La Criminal Trespass (Cleared By Arrest/Adult)
09/29/2025 01:51:00 Arrest 700 block Horseshoe Blvd Bossier City, La Criminal Trespass (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 62
09/29/2025 03:31:00 Arrest 700 block Hope St Shreveport, La Theft - Embezzlement (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 20
09/29/2025 07:31:00 Incident 4600 block E Texas St Bossier City, La Aggravated Assault With A Firearm (Active)
09/29/2025 07:35:00 Incident 4700 block Sheryl St Bossier City, La Second Degree Battery (Exceptionally Cleared)
09/29/2025 08:45:00 Incident 3100 block Knolin Dr Bossier City, La Theft (Active)
09/29/2025 09:09:00 Incident 4900 block Barksdale Blvd Bossier City, La Forgery (Active)
09/29/2025 09:49:00 Arrest 4800 block Lilac Cir Bossier City Domestic Abuse Battery - Simple (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Female, Age 31
09/29/2025 10:45:00 Arrest 1800 block Jimmie Davis Hwy Bossier City, La Driving While Intoxicated - First Offense (Misdemeanor), Hit and Run (Misdemeanor), Aggravated Flight From An Officer (Felony) White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 59
09/29/2025 11:01:00 Incident 2300 block Barksdale Blvd Bossier City, La Theft (Active)
09/29/2025 11:24:00 Incident 4800 block Airline Dr Bossier City, La Monetary Instrument Abuse (Active)
09/29/2025 12:04:00 Citation 620 Benton Rd 3 Bossier City Hit and Run 14:100 : Hit and Run White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 59
09/29/2025 12:04:00 Incident 1800 block Jimmie Davis Hwy Bossier City, La Driving While Intoxicated - First Offense (Cleared By Arrest/Adult)
09/29/2025 12:25:00 Arrest 6200 block E Texas St Bossier City, La Sexual Acts Prohibited In Public (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 20
09/29/2025 12:46:00 Incident 2500 block Airline Dr Bossier City, La Theft From Building (Active)
09/30/2025 00:26:00 Incident 400 block Hamilton Rd/Cox St Bossier City, La Possession Schedule IV (Cleared By Arrest/Adult)
09/30/2025 01:09:00 Arrest 500 block McDade St/Arthur Ray Teague Pkwy Bossier City, La Prohibited Acts - Drug Paraphernalia (Misdemeanor), Fugitive Arrest - BPSO (Misdemeanor), Driving Under Suspension (Misdemeanor), and Turning At Intersections (Misdemeanor) White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 46
09/30/2025 01:12:00 Arrest 500 block McDade St/Arthur Ray Teague Pkwy Bossier City, La Possession Schedule I (Misdemeanor), Possession Schedule II (Felony), Resisting An Officer (Misdemeanor), Contraband Defined, Taking To and From Penal Institutions (Felony), Fugitive Arrest - BPSO (Felony), and Fugitive Arrest - SPD (Misdemeanor) Samantha Michelle Flores, White Or Caucasian, Female, Age 35
09/30/2025 01:32:00 Incident 1600 block Holiday Pl Bossier City, La Theft (Exceptionally Cleared)
09/30/2025 01:48:00 Arrest 400 block Hamilton Rd/Cox St Bossier City, La Possession Schedule IV (Misdemeanor), Contraband Defined, Taking To and From Penal Institutions (Felony), Failure To Appear - Exp DL (Misdemeanor), and Failure To Appear - No Proof Ins (Misdemeanor) Jordae D Jones, Black Or African American, Female, Age 28
09/30/2025 03:13:00 Incident 2200 block E Texas St Bossier City, La Simple Assault Without A Dangerous Weapon (Active)
09/30/2025 03:58:00 Citation 1799 E Texas St/Hamilton Rd Bossier City No License Plate Light/Improper Display Of License Plate White Or Caucasian, Female, Age 50
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