Stacy Brown works hard to make Shreveport-Bossier a visitor’s destination

Stacy Brown started as the first vice president of communications in a one-person department at the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau 30 years ago.

Now rebranded Visit Shreveport Bossier, she began her career there right when the riverboat casinos began landing on the banks of the Red River. She now has more visitor assets, with the Shreveport Convention Center and Bossier arena as additional offerings.

She said people don’t associate bureaus with tourism, so the recent name change helps move up the search engine. The master plan is a community collaboration — how we want to look and present ourselves to others in the future, she said, noting that “this was a big collaboration as a community and parish.” The chambers of commerce, city officials, leaders and private citizens were involved. One-on-one and online surveys, focus groups and town halls were conducted.

One of the initiatives is a music museum, an underutilized asset in the city. The Municipal Auditorium and its statues can be seen regularly, but visitors can only tour the facility sometimes. The goal is to support its history and visibility in other ways.

James Burton, the internationally known guitarist, is a huge supporter of the museum, having ridden on a float in the prominent Rose Parade earlier this year. Author William Joyce is also a constant promoter, particularly with Artspace.

Shreveport-Bossier is also known for the great outdoors. Indeed, the area has supported the Bassmaster Classic twice. But then the competition “grew so big that it can’t come back,” Brown said. Such a reality reflects a shortage of facilities to handle water excursions. While several bodies of water provide fishing, boating and skiing, Brown said there are not many outfitters to support what is offered.

Brown said Shreveport-Bossier has an extremely high repeat visitation rate of 78 %.

“Once we get them here, they love us and come back!”

Brown added that the lieutenant governor is a “tremendous partner” with Visit Shreveport Bossier in helping with tourism’s economic impact.

Residents also want to bring events home, Brown said. Examples include industry trade shows, reunions, conventions, girls’ trips and family staycations to visit destinations. The board knows it takes the community to work together to achieve this, but this thought is not always on the corner of everybody’s desk. So, to assist with these endeavors, Visit Shreveport Bossier recently hired a director of destination development.

Brown said the movie business has never gone away. It was a massive boom after Hurricane Katrina, but it has slowed down in recent years. She believes 50 Cent is bringing a “renewed eye on Shreveport-Bossier” by acquiring Millennium Studios in downtown Shreveport.

Citizens can promote tourism by helping Shreveport Green and Keep Bossier Beautiful keep the area litter-free and cover their loads when driving. Brown has also met with Property Standards to improve the city’s appearance. Both mayors strongly advocate for clean cities, and Mayor Tom Arceneaux and Mayor Tommy Chandler declared June 5 Stacy Brown Day.

While Brown has lived around the world and in larger cities, she ultimately chose to move here and stay, calling this a fabulous place. She noted that the area has good food and shopping, and it is easy to get around. “The worst traffic on I-20 is better than Dallas on a normal day,” she said.

She was previously involved in financial marketing, and her husband is a forester.

She said the infrastructure is essential to keeping the area traffic-free and bringing more people to the city. That is why, with most visitors coming by interstate, Visit Shreveport Bossier supports completing the inner-city portion of Interstate 49.

Some federal funding comes from the National Scenic Byway Foundation. The Boom or Bust Byway follows Highway 2, defined by the Louisiana/Texas border, Highway 3049 on the west and Lake Claiborne on the east. The byway comprises four parishes: Caddo, Bossier, Webster and Claiborne.

Brown is pleased with the upgrades at the airport, which is an essential front door for businesspeople who might want to relocate here.

She calls tourism a tremendous industry.

“It is hard work, and it is rewarding,” she said. “It is so important to the community with jobs and quality of life.”

Stacy Brown chooses to make Shreveport home.

She touted the SB Fun Guide, which allows citizens to submit events that are open to the public. Visit Shreveport Bossier has a targeted dashboard that pulls local data. This reflects their more significant online presence, as they use more digital advertising than in the past. Travel writers are a vital asset in this approach.

And don’t take the Red River Revel, Mardi Gras and other festivals for granted. “We’ve got you covered,” Brown said. Mardi Gras parties occur year-round, and the parades happen at non-peak times, which helps draw people in.

The area has also hosted some large events, including the Medal of Honor convention, Miss USA and, as mentioned earlier, the Bassmasters Classic. Hotel rooms have increased significantly during Brown’s tenure.

TV events such as the Independence Bowl also raise awareness, bringing attention to the area and attracting visitors.

The projected budget for 2024 is $5.7 million. Brown manages 19 full-time and three part-time employees.

Brown doesn’t regret anything that may have slipped away. She does not dwell on losses but learns from challenges—particularly how to do better next time. While she prefers not to spend time on what could have been, she says that if she has one personal regret, it would be being a workaholic.