Shreveport (population 199,311) is a city within Louisiana State. Shreveport serves as the seat of Caddo Parish and extends into Bossier Parish. It is the 3rd largest city and part of the 4th biggest metropolitan area in Louisiana: the Shreveport-Bossier City Metropolitan Area with a population of nearly 400,000. The city of Shreveport is located along the Red River across from Bossier City on the other side. The two cities are called "Shreveport-Bossier."
The three states of Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas join within the area of Shreveport. This region is referred to as "Ark-La-Tex".
The town was settled officially by the Shreve Town Company which established the town at the point of the Red River and the Texas Trail in 1836. The Texas Trail was established by travelers as an overland route to Mexico and then later to Texas. The newly-formed village was called Shreve Town in honour of Captain Henry Miller Shreve. The Captain was like a hero after leading US Army Corps of Engineer efforts to remove a long stretch of debris clogging the river.
The township of Shreveport was incorporated in the year 1839, and in 1871 it officially became a city. Shreveport played a key role in the national oil business during part of the 20th century. When the oil industry faltered during the 1980s, Shreveport's economy declined because of layoffs, company closures and cutbacks. Shreveport then concentrated its efforts on the service sector by developing riverboat casinos and preserving its historic landmarks. It is presently considered a popular tourist place.
The transition to a service economy encouraged a boom within the gaming industry. The popular riverboat gambling casinos provide an important source of employment and revenue for the region. Casinos in Shreveport-Bossier consist of Sam's Town Casino, Eldorado Casino, Boomtown casino, Diamond Jacks Casino and Horseshoe Casino. Shreveport was the 2nd most visited city in Louisiana after New Orleans (prior to Hurricane Katrina). The region is also known for horse racing. Harrah's Louisiana Downs, a main racetrack, is situated within nearby city of Bossier. Tourists can contact the Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau for tourism information regarding the area, including attractions, events, accommodations and restaurants.
The Shreveport-Bossier region is a commercial and cultural center. A main shopping and entertainment complex, The Louisiana Boardwalk, is situated across the river in the city of Bossier. The Boardwalk is a 51,000 m² facility with restaurants, outlet shopping, movie theatre and bowling complex.