Dreamy Ideas Laid Out For the East
Sheldon Fox Staff reporter

August 25, 2009
NEW ORLEANS—
City Council President Arnie Fielkow wants to take New Orleans East residents out to the ball park.

The storm-battered section of town needs development help, and a national company called Big League Dreams wants to build a large sports complex with city, state and federal money.

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It could take the place of the unused and Katrina-damaged Six-Flags theme park, even though the Mayor Ray Nagin would like for it to become a new theme park run by Nickelodeon and Baton Rouge company Southern Star Amusement.

Residents who've rebuilt and reinvested in the East want something a little more simple: hospitals and more grocery stores.

Fielkow says hospitals and places of necessity top the priority list, but that recreational wonder parks that spawn economic growth, even the mayor's idea, should be factored in at the same time.

He suggested the Six-Flags site is not necessarily the spot of choice for Big League Dreams. He says the sports complex could be constructed on property close-by.