SHREVEPORT, La. – Mardi Gras in Shreveport appears heading for a standoff. Mayor Arceneaux sent a setter to two major krewes on Friday — Gemini and Centaur — saying he is not backing down from his original demand of earlier start times among other changes.
The mayor told the krewes, “Your letter is non-responsive to those changes and dismissive of the proposed contracts.”
Mayor Arceneaux says the reason for the changes are public safety. Here are a list of the mayor’s changes to Mardi Gras:
- Parades must start by 2:30 p.m. and end by 7 p.m. The krewes want to start at 5 p.m.
- Centaur will not be held February third unless the krewe comes up with 60 security personnel.
- There is one concession the mayor is making. He will allow the parades to begin downtown at Lake Street.
He had previously identified Veterans Park along Clyde Fant Parkway to shorten the route. But to do that he is telling Centaur they need to name a new date– and soon.
Tom Wyche, captain of the Krewe of Gemini, says they are saddened by the the mayor’s response and that they had hoped for greater things than this.
Looking ahead to next week, things could get interesting. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nunngesser is coming to Shreveport. Nunngesser to this point has sided with the krewes.
