Alexandria Pics

[bigboyz05]

Ok cool. Does Alexandria have a healthy economy?

[Rardy]

Ok cool. Does Alexandria have a healthy economy?

[Rardy]

National Geographic has named Alexandria one of its top "Wilderness Towns" - places that "that blend economic opportunity and an urban flare with easy access to forests, canyons, swamps, grasslands, prairies, and other wild places".

Hey, we'll take what we can get, right?

The article names all of the camping and water activities that are available, not to mention the hunting and the Kisatchie National Forest.

Not the least of them, she said, is the Red River -- Alexandria's most prominent natural-recreation feature, which has always been a popular place for fishermen and boaters.

Along with the Kisatchie National Forest, which houses two man-made lakes -- Valentine Lake and Kincaid Lake, other recreation hot spots near Alexandria offer hunting and fishing opportunities, camping grounds and walking and bicycle trails.

Among those in Rapides Parish are Indian Creek, Kincaid Lake, Cotile Lake, Lake Rodemacher (also known as Cleco Lake) and Cocodrie Lake.

At Indian Creek on Wednesday, 86 of the park's 96 camping sites were occupied.

[Rardy]

Alexandria is getting a "television and movie production studio" to be built on England Airpark.

Alexandria Economic Development Director Bill Hess estimates leasing the studios could generate $1.9 million to $2.3 million for the city. As many as 150 jobs per production could be created by the studios, he said.

One syndicated television show has already signed on to film in Alexandria, officials said, and another one is seriously considering Central Louisiana as a filming location.