Tigerland’s rising crime rates have brought some students and patron’s to question the bar scene’s future as a hub of LSU nightlife.
Jordy Bloodsworth, a door manager at Reggie’s, believes otherwise.
The recent LSU graduate said crime has not always been an issue for him, though it has been discussed in news reports recently.
“The bad stuff that usually happens – the problems – are when school’s not in,” Bloodsworth said.
Some people inaccurately blame college students for the area’s crime and that the recent ‘big’ crime incidents in places like nearby stores are usually not students, he said.
Political science sophomore Mia Henderson said, regardless of recent events, she does not feel safe at Tigerland, though she still goes there on weekends.
“I feel like it’s a fun environment,” she said. “It’s for the college students and it’s college life.”
Because of the wildness, she said she already expects there to be some risks like dangerous crime.
Henderson does not predict that Tigerland’s social scene will change, or that student attendance to Tigerland bars will decrease. She said she believes the fun reputation outweighs the fear.
Unlike Henderson, early childhood education junior Allison Fields said she agrees that Tigerland could be no more.
“I could see that happening,” Fields said of closing the social hot spot,” she said. Because, I mean, what can they do to stop all that from happening?”
Fields has not been to Reggie’s since her freshman year, but remembers feeling safe when she went. She goes to different bars now, such as Bogie’s Bar, and feels safe there, too. Even though hearing about the recent stabbing of LSU’s tight end Dillon Gordon was incentive to avoid Tigerland, she said she still plans on going to the popular night spot this semester.
Gordon’s stabbing, which occurred Jan. 5 at Reggie’s, prompted LSU football coach Les Miles to ban all of his players from going out to Tigerland bars.
Bloodsworth, who was working the night Gordon was stabbed, said the incident began with a confrontation outside the bathroom.
“People from both sides started throwing punches,” he said. “Dillon kind of fell on top of the kid. I didn’t see a knife or anything – nobody necessarily saw a knife. So I don’t know if it was a knife or a bottle or what it could have been. But he was cut.”
Bloodsworth called it “a typical fight.”
Not until later that night, after word of mouth spread, did Bloodsworth learn Gordon was stabbed.
The paramedics took Gordon to the hospital and the police asked Reggie’s to close early for investigation, Bloodsworth said.
Our Lady of the Lake Regional medical Center released Gordon shortly after treatment.
A suspect was arrested Jan. 7.
Bloodsworth said Reggie’s bouncers do not pat people down or search them before they enter the bar. Even after the Gordon incident, he said that will probably not change.
“There’s always a bad apple or somebody that doesn’t play fair,” Bloodsworth said.
Architecture freshman Emilee Abadie said she does not feel safe going to Tigerland and believes the feeling is warranted after
incidents like Gordon’s.
But she said she continues to go despite feeling unsafe because everyone goes.
“It’s what you do,” she said. “It’s worth the risk,”
Abadie has been to Reggie’s and said she plans on going again this semester: “I like it. It’s fun.”
However, she said she thinks crime has gotten worse recently, and expects more incidents like the recent stabbing to happen this semester.
To avoid crime and stay safe, Bloodsworth said self awareness is important.
“If you go get too drunk and do something stupid and wander around, it’s kind of a personal liability thing,” Bloodsworth said. “If you control yourself, then there wouldn’t be fights.”
However, the bar worker contended that people do tend to get belligerent when alcohol is served.
He said Reggie’s workers often keep an eye out for altercations so they can separate the parties before things get out of control.
“I’ve been in Baton Rouge for six years now and it’s always been a good time for me,” Bloodsworth said. “I’ve never had too big of a problem either working or just as a regular customer.”
Jason Nay, manager at Fred’s in Tigerland, said bar business has seen its safest football season yet because police officers have been stationed in the area from around 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. on busy nights for the past six months.
“I can tell you that everybody feels safer,” Nay said. “There’s eight police officers there every night.”
Without the officers on immediate call to deter crime, he said, he would feel more nervous.
As a 2005 LSU alumnus, Nay said crime may have had a steady incline over the past decade, but, in general, he has seen little to no difference and students should not be worried for their safety.