Skateboarders show off skills at abandoned MSY terminal

KENNER (WVUE) - In the empty halls of the old MSY terminal, some of the South’s most talented skateboarders are taking advantage of the newly constructed ramps, rails, hurdles, and the floors.

“Best ground ever,” longtime skateboarder Todd Taylor said. “If you live in New Orleans, you know all the ground sucks.”

The shredding, grinding, and flips are all part of the Red Bull Terminal Takeover, which invites regional skate shops to pick their teams in order to make the best two-minute video compilation from Friday until Saturday.

“Skate anything you want to in the room, really get creative in there,” Red Bull professional skateboarder Jake Wooten said.

It’s the second year in a row for the competition, with more skate parks set up around the terminal and more skaters competing from a total of eight cities.

“We are trying to spread out across the whole delta region,” Wooten said.

Humidity Skate Shop represented New Orleans in the competition, putting together a team that includes Quinn Delcorro and his twin brother.

“We kind of grew up skating together,” Delcorro said.

He sees the MSY takeover as a sign of how much his sport has grown in the past 15 years he’s spent skating.

“It used to be kind of pushed to the side and now it’s like in the Olympics and stuff,” he said.

Longtime skaters also remember just how far the sport has come along, especially in New Orleans.

“There’s many times when there’s been maybe eight people skating which is nothing, literally nothing,” Taylor said.

Taylor is not only skating but filming the event - something his done since the 90s. He is excited to see local skaters and his videography get more exposure.

“Obviously all the Red Bull channels play it. Last year, it was an hour after it got posted... it was like more numbers than I ever done,” he said.

Taylor hopes after another year of the Terminal Takeover, more city resources will go toward the sport. Currently, New Orleans is home to Parasite DIY Skatepark, which was originally started and built by the city’s community of skateboarders.

“I would like to see a real skate park in New Orleans - a city-backed skate park,” he says.

In the metro area, Kenner and Chalmette both have skateparks, and a skatepark is in the works in Slidell. Red Bull representatives hope seeing more local skaters will inspire the next generation to brave the board.

“Pick it up. Try it. Wear a helmet for a little bit and get used to it,” Wooten said.

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