For years, the Louisiana Boardwalk has been a familiar part of the Bossier City riverfront, offering a place to shop, eat, or catch a movie. Now, the riverfront destination is entering a new chapter.

New restaurants, recreational opportunities, live music, cultural attractions, and entertainment are coming together as part of a long-term effort to create a Boardwalk with more reasons to visit and return.

The changes already underway are part of a broader redevelopment strategy that has brought more than $13.5 million in tenant investment to the property over the past two years, along with more than $3.5 million in realized and projected property improvements.

Those investments include new businesses, expanded hospitality options and improvements to the property itself.

Abigail Smith Simmons, business development manager for KSM Marketing, is part of the team helping guide the Boardwalk’s redevelopment. She said the community’s passion for the property has been an important part of the process.

“We’ve received good community feedback about signage, landscaping, façade improvements and the overall direction,” she said. “We’re trying to make sure there’s something for everybody, and you can find your fun at the Boardwalk, whatever that means for your experience.”

One of the biggest changes already taking shape is the arrival of The Picklr, an indoor pickleball facility with 11 courts.

The Louisiana location opened at the Boardwalk earlier this year and has since attracted hundreds of active members. The facility brings a new kind of recurring activity to the riverfront, with people coming to play, practice, compete, and socialize throughout the week.

Connected to The Picklr is The Brine, a new contemporary Southern restaurant led by Chef Gabriel Balderas. The restaurant celebrated its grand opening Oct. 2, offering food, cocktails and a family-friendly gathering space overlooking the riverfront.

“There’s been some motion happening on the property for a while, but The Picklr is a big national franchise,” Smith Simmons said. “This is the first location that has a culinary concept attached, and so there’s franchise eyes around the country on what we’re doing here in Bossier City.”

The Brine is designed to be more than a place to grab a meal. Plans call for live music, movie nights, and other community events, while the restored Louisiana Boardwalk carousel is also expected to reopen with concessions.

“Gabriel, because he’s so loved in the community and doesn’t miss as far as the food or experience is concerned, has generated a lot of excitement here,” Smith Simmons said. “There’s lots of traffic down here, but it does feel like what’s happening here on the south end has kind of been the catalyst for what will carry on through the rest of the property.”

Perhaps the most anticipated addition is the Louisiana Grandstand, which is planning a multi-phase entertainment destination at the Boardwalk.

The first phase is The Parish Standard, an approximately 220-seat Louisiana-inspired restaurant, bar, and listening room planned for the former Joe’s Crab Shack location. The venue is scheduled to open in November and will combine food and cocktails with intimate live music.

The second phase calls for a much larger Louisiana Grandstand auditorium, with an anticipated capacity of approximately 2,700 guests. The venue is targeted to open in the first quarter of 2027.

The larger development is also expected to include museum experiences, outdoor spaces and other destination-focused amenities centered around Northwest Louisiana’s rich musical history.

“I think all the magic happens when the community comes together, and Bossier is great about making new business in the city easy,” Smith Simmons said. “The property ownership group is committed to seeing the Boardwalk revived, and the excitement that’s happening here is carrying over to that ownership group.”

Boardwalk leadership describes the strategy as creating an interconnected mix of daytime and nighttime activities — a place where families can spend an afternoon, friends can meet for dinner, people can participate in recreation, and music fans can come for a show.

“The infrastructure of this property is incredible,” Smith Simmons said. “Bring a multitude of well-rounded experiences so it’s a Tuesday-at-lunch destination as much as a Saturday night, with a good mix of tenants. The goal is not to put the Boardwalk back in the box it was in. The goal is to revive it in a way that fits today’s culture.”

The redevelopment isn’t limited to new tenants.

The Courtyard Marriott has invested $5 million in a 50-room expansion, while property ownership has also committed more than $3.5 million toward improvements including landscaping, signage, digital wayfinding, common areas, security and marketing efforts.

“There’s a narrative online that nothing is going on at the Boardwalk,” Smith Simmons said. “There are 30 active tenants, and I encourage people to see the progress as it happens.”

There is something nostalgic about the Louisiana Boardwalk for many people in Bossier. For some, it is a recognizable icon of the city. For others, it brings back memories of days spent with friends and family.

As the property moves into its next chapter, the focus is shifting beyond shopping to create a destination centered on what people can do together.

“This is such a well-loved property,” Smith Simmons said. “There’s so much nostalgia in the community, and we want to bring it back, not just for the sake of commerce, but also just to give everyone a great place to be.”