Closed: Baja Sports Grill

[ManAboutTown]

_ I always thought that the Hotel across from the Cajundome would be a great place for a HUGE sports bar within the Hotel----Great recruiting tool for our effort in this area!!!!!----NBC---nothing but Cajun with great food and a meeting place before games---Can ya'll come up with some more ideas for the hotel?????? _

I would like to see that Hotel Expand, or possibly add another conference-type of hotel, and connect directly to the Cajun Dome. Would be great for several reasons, and ultimately would be a huge business tool.

[jimbo]

_ Wow. They are putting a CVS on every corner in town and then some. Where are the finding all those pharmacists?????? _

Unfortunately the pharmacists are coming from ULM.

Rumor is the BWW will be a two story restaurant with the bar upstairs.

[leeman]

I was told when the hotel by cajun field opened up that it had a sports themed bar supporting UL.. I've never been there so I don't know for sure if there is even a bar there.. I would guess not though..since I've never heard any advertisements of any kind.. also, the bar that used to be rays.. Is that still fast eddies?.. how is that place making any money.. that would be great place for petes to expand to.. jmo...

[raginsaints]

Fast Eddies is full nearly every time I go.

[leeman]

_ Fast Eddies is full nearly every time I go. _

that's great for them.. so.... where could a second petes locate to?.. another question is: should there be another petes?. I think there should be.. where?.. I think where the wow is on bertrand.. but thats me...other than that , maybe buyout 'sas shoes" and expand that corner piece of property to make a petes sports bar... just wishing!..

[RaisingCajun08]

_ Unfortunately the pharmacists are coming from ULM.

And from Xavier ... I have a cousin going there right now.

[CajunT]

_ The charm of the Baja was that it was local. A single establishment run owned and run by local folks and catering to local tastes.
If Lafayette isn't careful, it will look like chain gang row and everywhere else in the country, there are enough Red Lobster/Brass and Glass shops by the mall.
Progress has it's pitfalls, again, I hope to see the Baja back, rolling and pouring near the fields. _

Lafayette has not been kind to national chains. Red Lobster, Bennigans,Friday's, Macoroni Grill, Posadas, etc. If you come into this market, you better have something new or a niche. Some sports bars have survived because of drinks, convenience or they specialize in something like wings. Other then that, their food is nothing special at best.

[CajunZ1]

I disagree with this. Example: Chilis

Lafayette has not been kind to national chains. Red Lobster, Bennigans,Friday's, Macoroni Grill, Posadas, etc. If you come into this market, you better have something new or a niche. Some sports bars have survived because of drinks, convenience or they specialize in somerthing like wings. Other then that, their food is nothing special at best.

igeaux.mobi

[Boomer]

_ I was told when the hotel by cajun field opened up that it had a sports themed bar supporting UL.. I've never been there so I don't know for sure if there is even a bar there.. I would guess not though..since I've never heard any advertisements of any kind.. also, the bar that used to be rays.. Is that still fast eddies?.. how is that place making any money.. that would be great place for petes to expand to.. jmo... _

An overpass walkway to the Dome and Stadium would be really cool if we can grow the hotel-----Lamar has kind of this going to their bball arena from campus----Also expanded parking area pedestrians could use this to go to the games!!!!!

[Boomer]

_ And from Xavier ... I have a cousin going there right now. _

Two of my worst nights to ever watch sports!!! My daughter was playing at Loyola and twice we play them in Their "Barn"----ON DR. King's birthday---Bad nights!!!!

[CajunT]

_ I disagree with this. Example: Chilis





igeaux.mobi _

That's one CZ1, but even Chillis has saturated their own market with additional stores. The Pinhook locations was the top store in the south in sales for many years, but now its nowhere close to it. I now avoid the one on Ambassador because service has been terrible my last two visits and the Pinhook store always seems to be dirty, even during slow periods.

There have been a many of restaurants that have come and gone in that area known as Restaurant row, but most that have survived sale's don't come close to they were in the first few years of operations.

[LFTCajun]

_ That's one CZ1, but even Chillis has saturated their own market with additional stores. The Pinhook locations was the top store in the south in sales for many years, but now its nowhere close to it. I now avoid the one on Ambassador because service has been terrible my last two visits and the Pinhook store always seems to be dirty, even during slow periods.

There have been a many of restaurants that have come and gone in that area known as Restaurant row, but most that have survived sale's don't come close to they were in the first few years of operations. _

Back when Red Lobster set up shop near Acadiana Mall way back when, it must have been clear to most locals that they were doomed to fail. Heck, they were asking the same price for "seafood" dishes as our well-known and award-winning mom-and-pop local establishments. NO CONTEST THERE!!

High priced marketing folks seriously need to know the market before entering!

I believe that national restaurant chains do serve a good purpose in any market, but only on the first night for any visitor. They just got off the plane or highway and want something familiar. It's the next day when they tend to venture out after reading hotel brochures.

But T, I've got to agree with CajunZ1 regarding Chili's. Dirty or not, all three Lafayette locations continue to see packed parking lots. They've got one heck of a business model and draw the locals in in droves.

Back to Baja. My one time there was outstanding. UL everything was pasted on the walls. Pictures of players I'd forgotten, but food that was simple and great.

I'll miss them and hope they consider reopening somewhere...