Shreveport is invited to Pelicans 'pep rally' tonight

The City of Shreveport has a new strategy for luring the New Orleans Pelicans to Shreveport: a planned pep rally that will be filmed and turned into a video commercial.

The details:

WHAT: Pelican pep rally.

WHEN: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 25.

WHERE: BHP Billiton YMCA on 3455 Knight Street in Shreveport.

WHY: To show the NBA New Orleans Pelicans that Shreveport is the best choice for its new G-League basketball team.

MORE:  New details about proposed sports complex for Shreveport

Mayor Ollie Tyler on Tuesday encouraged Shreveport residents to show up at the rally decked out in "their best Pelican or NBA gear" to show support for bringing the team to Shreveport.

The city will film the rally and include the footage in a Request for Proposal the city will submit soon to the Pelicans. Tyler added, as an incentive, that those who show up at the rally may get to be included in the filmed video commercial.

The City of Shreveport is one of five cities that remain still being considered by the basketball team's owner, Tom Benson. The city's chief administrative officer, Brian Crawford, said Monday that the city's pitch to the Pelicans would include a plan to build a $25 million sports complex that would include a basketball arena, paid for from riverfront development funds.

“Shreveport is extremely excited to be invited by the Pelicans to submit an RFP (request for proposal) for
their NBA G-League team," Tyler said. This is a great opportunity for not only the City of Shreveport, but the entire region in providing a great family-friendly venue, as well as creating a significant economic driver in job creation and
attracting outside tourism for the city’s future success.”