River Center a Shining Star in Katrina Relief

In a vast sea of abysmal failures after Hurricane Katrina, the Baton Rouge River Center--and really the Capitol City as a whole--stands in stark contrast as a sucess story. We faced the mass influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees with an incredible calm. And in an ironic, almost sad way, today we are being rewarded for our strengths, as Baton Rouge will probably remain Louisiana's primary city. As our city grapples with the daunting task of accommodating a decade of growth over just several months, it is important for us to take note of what has gone well since the storm. I think that our River Center is something to be proud of.

In Wednesday, 16 November's Advocate, the City said the convention center was again ready for use after serving 2 months as home to 5000 hurricane victims. This brand new, state of the art exhibition hall has seen a lot since January when it was inaugurated by the American Bowling Championship, which brought tens of thousands of visitors from all over the country to our downtown. But it's role as a place of refuge was a little more somber. Aside from the Louisiana Superdome, this was the most used shelter, reaching upwards of 6000 evacuees immediately after Katrina. It spiked again after Rita, but quickly leveled off. From what I have gathered, it was the most effective, too. It almost seemed like there was an actual plan for operating as a shelter: federal and state government agencies quickly opened human services shops at the center; the Parish Health Department ran a vaccine clinic in the entry hall; the school board rushed to bring education to the children stuck in the facility; and best of all, you never heard about food or supply shortages. I believe that the River Center's response to the needs of our community and those of our neighbors is representative of what we should expect from our government every time.

Also impressive is the speed with which the River Center has returned to use. It was closed in mid-October so that the expected massive cleanup could begin. There was talk of replacing all of the carpeting and repainting all of the interior spaces at one point. But a professional cleaning company was able to return the building to like-new conditions. That shows that the River Center was built to last, kind of a new phenomenon in local government construction. To make basic wear and tear repairs to walls and restrooms, the City put the Department of Public Works to the challenge instead of opening a bid process for a private company. When government uses the resources it already owns, small projects like this can come in under budget, in less time, and with less opportunity for corruption. Mayor Holden's Chief Administrative Officer Walter Monsour said that cost predictions had been downgraded significantly from the original $750,000 price tag. And while several other arenas state-wide have complained they will be forced to close unless FEMA speeds up payments, the River Center weathered the storm with its own cash reserves while waiting for the agency. I think it is important and impressive that our government is not dependent on an immediate check from the feds to remain solvent.

The River Center project has been a great thing for Baton Rouge in 2005. The large-scale restoration of the old Centroplex area has brought a much needed freshness to the lower Government Street corridor and the City Hall complex. And now, I think it is something Baton Rouge can be proud of because of the fundamental role it played in bailing Louisiana out. A big thank you to the River Center management, the Convention and Visitors' Bureau, and the countless volunteers who offered themselves to mend shattered lives at the hall.