The bulk of the construction is complete on one of this area’s newest entertainment venues, and early reviews are giving The Stage high marks, said owner and head cheerleader, David Alvis.

It’s located in a park-like setting southwest of Louisiana Downs at the intersections of Interstate 220 and Highway 80 (East Texas Street). Sitting on 12 acres, The Stage at Silver Star Smokehouse and Saloon looks like a combination of Old West Main Street and modern entertainment destination. From its wood façade to its high-tech sound system, Alvis has apparently spared little expense in creating what he calls his vision.

“That’s the million-dollar question. I don’t really know,” Alvis said about what prompted him to create the facility. He bought the property three years ago and immediately began shaping it to his liking. “I had this vision. I had this property behind me. I had all this beautiful land,” Alvis said. “I thought what a cool place to do an outdoor venue.”

Alvis admits The Stage is a work in progress, and he still has plans to make changes when he sees an opportunity. Since March 6, it’s been finished enough to host musical acts. The first was Cody Canada, the former lead singer of Cross Canadian Ragweed. Since then he has hosted Jana Kramer, Dustin Lynch, Cole Vosbury and others.

“Since we opened, we’ve had about 10 acts,” Alvis said. “It’s funny. I look out here, and it’s packed. Now, that’s my vision. That’s the vision I had when I built it.”

The pavilion was built on a former parking area. The main stage is surrounded on three sides by reserved VIP boxes and cabanas. A new dance floor was recently installed in front of the stage, and the rest of the floor is available for tables, seating or some general standing and boot-scooting. There is a large fireplace on the northeast side of the pavilion for the chilly nights, and there are 14 large space heaters and tabletop heaters for the cold-natured.

The functionality of the space is what makes this venue unique, too, Alvis said. He’s added roll-up doors to some of his dining areas and those are used to bring the indoors out to The Stage area, increasing his capacity.

The back wall on the stage is can be removed, too. Eventually, Alvis wants to be able to remove it and turn the stage area’s focus out onto the grassy expanse behind the existing building. Right now, it is just a field that butts up against the Flat River, but once manicured and prepped, Avis said, “We can play to four or 5,000 people.”

Currently, there are five cabanas available for rental, but Alvis has plans from two to four more. The VIP area on the second level has several box seats for 12 and individual tables that are also available for reservation. The area boasts some memorabilia from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium’s heydays and a custom-made 48-bulb chandelier.

Most of the place is custom-made. Alvis said following a recent concert he noticed the litter barrels dotting the pavilion and immediately had attractive wooden boxes built to hide the plain plastic receptacles. He said he also has spent about $17,000 on custom gates to secure the pavilion.

Alvis said he’s not alone in his enthusiasm about the new venue. “Ken Shepherd, Kenny Wayne’s daddy, said, ‘David, this is a world-class venue,’” Alvis said. “Musicians who’ve come through have been absolutely blown away. They have said this is the coolest place we’ve ever played. Kentucky Headhunters said we’ve never played anywhere this cool.”

That coolness is available for local events, too. Alvis said he’s already had inquiries for corporate parties, weddings and social soirees. He is serious when he proclaims this place is “totally unique. There’s nothing like it for 150-mile radius. We’ve heard there may not be anything like it anywhere.”

For information on what’s going on out at The Stage, you can go to www.thestagebossier.com.

To book an event or for VIP information, call 752-3633. There is also a gallery online that provides more views of the new entertainment place.

In the coming months, look for Cowboy Mouth, Micky and the Motor Cars, Jason Boland & the Stragglers, Colt Ford, Neal McCoy, and Cody Cooke & the Bayou Outlaws.

There’s a sign inside that sums up Alvis’s philosophy. “[The Stage at Siler Star Smokehouse and Saloon is] a great place to cool your heels.”