Shreveport DDA Director Steps Down Following A Year Of Explosive Downtown Violence
After a year that has been beset by controversies in Shreveport’s downtown from the noise ordinance battle to the raucous revelry of club-goers that has been far too apt to turn violent, a huge advocate for the community is stepping aside. According to a statement released Tuesday, Director of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and Downtown Shreveport Development Corporation (DSDC) Liz Swaine is resigning from her position after 13 years.
In a statement published to the Shreveport DDA Facebook page Thursday, Swaine explained, “ I am leaving the job. I am not leaving downtown – my husband and I still live here, my work office will be here, and my love for our beautiful city center is as intense today as it ever was.”
In March and in May, Swaine, a former journalist for KTBS was front and center in the news as press conferences were held and statements were made responding to the explosion of violence and lawlessness in downtown Shreveport.
In May Swaine told KSLA,
“The DDA will encourage and support any legal and responsible ways to improve both the feeling of safety and actual safety of our beautiful and historic city center.”
While Swaine’s statement did not indicate the reasoning for her decision, 710KEEL reported that Swaine is seeking to return to her journalistic roots. It is unknown if the dramatic increase in violence and multiple displays of mass lawlessness influenced her decision, but without a doubt, her job in 2023 couldn’t have been easy.
Another amazing woman that we are highlighting for Women’s History Month is Liz Swaine. She came to Shreveport from Florida, where her work career started in news at @KTBS TV. Thank you Liz Swaine for telling our stories through communications and development. #WomensHistory2023 pic.twitter.com/TBdergT3yX
— City of Shreveport (@loveshreveport1) March 22, 2023
In her parting message, Swaine urged the people fo Shreveport to continue the work of improving downtown.
“Be a downtown supporter. Patronize downtown businesses, come to downtown events. Think of downtown first for office space, as a place to live or when looking to purchase a building. Advocate for laws that make downtown safer and more appealing and push to redirect Riverfront Development Fund dollars back into downtown projects. The end result can be that downtown that we all know it can be.”