Was Jena really a tourist attraction?

When this was brought to my attention by a member of the Crack Mullet Research Team, I thought it was a joke.

According to a story in Saturday's Alexandria Town Talk, rallies to protest criminal charges from beatings at a high school and allegations of racial discrimination are now considered economic development. A few excerpts from the story:

According to an estimate provided by the Alexandria/Pineville Convention & Visitors Bureau, events directly related to the Jena [Six] rallies pumped $569,240 into the Alexandria economy. The three events were attended by about 5,550, tourism officials estimate.

The economic impact was calculated by combining hotel rooms rented and money that was spent at other local businesses, said Shanna Worth, the spokeswoman for the Convention & Visitors Bureau.

What's next? Bragging about the economic impact study of the dollars spent on funerals in New Orleans due to the high number of murders? The economic impact of bringing in additional FBI agents due to the high level of corruption in LA?

You can't make this stuff up. Only in LA!

C.B.

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