Rapper and entrepreneur Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is pouring tens of millions of dollars into Shreveport, Louisiana, snapping up properties and laying the groundwork for a sweeping
downtown revival.
Jackson has already acquired around 20 properties as part of what local officials estimate to be a $50 million investment, centered on bringing his G-Unit film and television operations to the city. The project has been informally dubbed the “50 Cent Economic District,” and city leaders hope it will deliver new jobs and fresh momentum to a region long battered by economic decline.
“In a short period of time, I’ve come to like the people of Shreveport differently,” Jackson said during a recent ceremony in which Mayor Tom Arceneaux presented him with a key to the city. “It feels like home for me, and eventually it’ll be home because I have some work to do.”
Arceneaux, who has championed the partnership, believes Jackson’s arrival could help transform the city’s long-struggling core. A proposal currently under consideration would create a two-percent sales tax district across parts of downtown, generating revenue to fund improvements. The mayor estimates the plan could create at least 10 new jobs and more than $1 million in capital investment—all without upfront cost to city government.
“If we see a renaissance of downtown and the entertainment district, all the boats will rise with the tide,” Arceneaux said.
Shreveport, once a thriving oil hub, has faced decades of economic erosion, ranking as the fifth most “needy” city in the U.S. in a 2024 Wallethub report. The city also contends with a crime rate more than double the national average, and steep job losses after the closure of major employers, including General Motors.
But Jackson appears undeterred. In March, the city council approved a 30-year lease, with a 15-year renewal option, granting G-Unit Films & Television Louisiana control of the Stageworks Louisiana facilities for just $200 a month, in exchange for maintaining and operating the complex.
Beyond the lease, Jackson has been aggressively purchasing real estate—some for more than $1 million—including a prominent property at 301 Spring Street and another vacant lot acquired for $76,872, where he has already installed a temporary dome structure.
According to Gerod Durden, CEO of the Durden property group and a close collaborator on the project, Jackson is now believed to be the largest private property owner in Shreveport. “We’re in the range of 20 properties,” Durden said. “We’ve secured some properties this week.”
Durden added that Jackson has been hiring locally as part of his commitment to building from within the community. Orville Hall, a growth advisor for G-Unit, said the rapper’s early investments are helping Shreveport leverage additional state support.
“What 50 is really doing is graciously letting the city use him as leverage,” Hall said. “He started investing—now we can ask the state to contribute to north Louisiana.”
Jackson has hinted that the next phase of his plan will focus on boosting tourism, using Shreveport as a new hub for entertainment production.
Accepting the key to the city, Jackson called the moment an honor. “As someone who’s always believed in the transformative power of music, film, and television, I’m excited to show you the expansion of G-Unit Studio right here in Shreveport,” he said. Photo by Top Streetwear, Wikimedia commons.
