Fort Smith

[TRB]

I did some digging and found this old stadium proposal for Ft. Smith and an Independent League baseball team. The aquatic center went to Ben Green but the Marshalls Museum is still progressing.

http://www.thecitywire.com/node/7410

[KJW]

I did some digging and found this old stadium proposal for Ft. Smith and an Independent League baseball team. The aquatic center went to Ben Green but the Marshalls Museum is still progressing.

http://www.thecitywire.com/node/7410

 

Hi, TRB...here's an article from today's Fort Smith paper about the river walk that is indeed going to be built: http://swtimes.com/news/planned-fort-smith-river-trail-now-includes-bridge-event-nodes

[KJW]

Interesting...a group of six Union Christian High School teens are presenting a plan to attract an NHL franchise to Fort Smith, based upon the "Green Bay Packers" model, called "the Arkansas Marshals".

 

Remember, in 2002 the ArDemGaz was asking whether Northwest Arkansas could land or support a Single A baseball franchise, 7 years before a AA one called Springdale its new home.  Around that time or slightly before, there was a group interested in landing a WNBA franchise for NWA...that went away fairly rapidly.

 

These youngsters idea may not get past the presentation stage, but it's easy to predict that if NWA/FSM (and LR) grow to the 1,500,000/1,000,000 marks, there will be more people believing that Arkansas (notably, the Arkansas TV/radio markets) can support a pro team, and positing ideas for one.

 

In the meantime, best of blessings to these teenagers.  They've spent a half year researching this and contacting the NFL, NBA and MLB, so I'm guessing their eyes are fairly wide open.  But I'm glad we have still have dreamers in our midst...that's where progress comes from.

[TRB]

Interesting...a group of six Union Christian High School teens are presenting a plan to attract an NHL franchise to Fort Smith, based upon the "Green Bay Packers" model, called "the Arkansas Marshals".

Remember, in 2002 the ArDemGaz was asking whether Northwest Arkansas could land or support a Single A baseball franchise, 7 years before a AA one called Springdale its new home. Around that time or slightly before, there was a group interested in landing a WNBA franchise for NWA...that went away fairly rapidly.

These youngsters idea may not get past the presentation stage, but it's easy to predict that if NWA/FSM (and LR) grow to the 1,500,000/1,000,000 marks, there will be more people believing that Arkansas (notably, the Arkansas TV/radio markets) can support a pro team, and positing ideas for one.

In the meantime, best of blessings to these teenagers. They've spent a half year researching this and contacting the NFL, NBA and MLB, so I'm guessing their eyes are fairly wide open. But I'm glad we have still have dreamers in our midst...that's where progress comes from.

It's going to be impossible to ever land a major league team from MLB, NFL, or NBA. I'd hone in on the MLS but thats a stretch.

[KJW]

I agree, TRB.  Arkansas is Cardinal country, the Grizzlies are right across the river almost in view of West Memphis, and the Cowboys, "America's Team", are right down the road.

 

That being said, we're seeing amazing things happen in this state.  If this growth continues (given our nation's status, I question whether it can) I still see more people talking about a pro team up here somewhere.  Don't think it will ever come to fruition, but the dreaming will get louder.

[KJW]

Good news for the U.S. Marshals museum: the fundraising coins are nearing mint and distribution: http://swtimes.com/news/designs-unveiled-commemorative-us-marshals-coins

[KJW]

This is Fort Smith news I don't like reporting: 

 

The Fort Smith Southwest Times-Record newspaper is moving its publication to Northwest Arkansas.

 

Sure seems to me that Fort Smith and NWA are moving closer to becoming a Combined Statistical Area, some day, with news like this (again, which follows KNWA closing its old KPOM-TV studio in Fort Smith).  And also again, I think a textbook could be written about this NWA/FSM media market some day.  It's rare, if not completely heretofore unheard of, for a metro area like NWA to be slowly taking over (and growing) a media market formerly dominated by a state's second largest city and metropolitan area.

[Mith242]

This is Fort Smith news I don't like reporting: 

 

The Fort Smith Southwest Times-Record newspaper is moving its publication to Northwest Arkansas.

 

Sure seems to me that Fort Smith and NWA are moving closer to becoming a Combined Statistical Area, some day, with news like this (again, which follows KNWA closing its old KPOM-TV studio in Fort Smith).  And also again, I think a textbook could be written about this NWA/FSM media market some day.  It's rare, if not completely heretofore unheard of, for a metro area like NWA to be slowly taking over (and growing) a media market formerly dominated by a state's second largest city and metropolitan area.

But if I'm reading it correctly, seems like the news coverage in the paper won't necessarily change.  It will just be printed in NWA.  Aside from KNWA, even though the other tv stations have moved studios from the Ft Smith area to NWA area.  It still seems to me that there's still a lot of focus for the River Valley area.  But still, it is an odd situation.   It looks like it may be a little while before an NWA city overtakes Ft Smith as the state's second largest city.  But the NWA metro is unusual because the population is spread around to a number of cities and there's not really one single core city.

[KJW]

But if I'm reading it correctly, seems like the news coverage in the paper won't necessarily change.  It will just be printed in NWA.  Aside from KNWA, even though the other tv stations have moved studios from the Ft Smith area to NWA area.  It still seems to me that there's still a lot of focus for the River Valley area.  But still, it is an odd situation.   It looks like it may be a little while before an NWA city overtakes Ft Smith as the state's second largest city.  But the NWA metro is unusual because the population is spread around to a number of cities and there's not really one single core city.

 

Thanks, Mith242.  I should have changed the word "publication" to "print production".  Here's another thing...there are weeklies (the Van Buren, Alma, Greenwood, Charleston, Booneville (?), Paris (?)) that are going to shortly be printed in NWA as well, moving from Van Buren.  That makes a bit more sense but still, it is amazing what's happened here, and again, I think you won't find any other media center whose most populous county borders three other DMAs as Benton currently does.

[KJW]

More details are coming in about the new osteopathic college at Fort Smith.

 

And now that Nabholz and Beshears will both be working on the campus, they've released a video of the initial renderings of it.

[UrbanArkie]

Underwhelming design.

[KJW]

"Parrot Island".  Interesting.   

 

BTW, it's said the exits to the "island" stretch of future I-49 in far east Fort Smith are taking shape at both Barling (north) and just above Greenwood (south).

[KJW]

Fascinating: the idea was born in Fayetteville, the manufacturing will be done in Fort Smith. (TiFiber.)

 

An isolated case or future trend?  It will be interesting to watch regardless.

 

 

[KJW]

Pretty cool:

 

http://swtimes.com/news/first-day-coin-sales-net-1-million-museum

[JayDR]

I personally think NWA and the Fort Smith area should combine metros. They may be a world a part in thinking, but West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Compton, East LA, North Hollywood, Long Beach, Manhattan Beach, Beverly Hills, Downtown LA are a world a part from one another too. I say this because Los Angeles County is 4,751 SQ FT.. In comparison, Benton, Washington, Crawford, Sebastian, Madison and McDonald counties combined is 4,363 SQ. FT.. Also, 800,000 population looks better to companies than 500,000 or 300,000 looks. I think it would be much better economically to just combine the two.

[JayDR]

On the getting a NHL, NBA, MLS or NFL team. No chance. However if we got a USL Pro team, which I think Fort Smith and NWA should both get one and create a rivalry. USL Pro teams play in the US Open Cup and often play MLS teams in the US Open Cup Tournament. If they win it, which is a long shot, they will play in the CONCACAF Champions League. If by a very long shot they win that, they will play in the FIFA Club World Cup, possibly against a team like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Juventus, Manchester United or City. And who knows, maybe US Soccer adds a Pro/Rel system one day and win our way up to MLS. Basically, what I'm saying is if we want our big league team soccer is our best shot, possibly only shot at glory.

[Mith242]

I personally think NWA and the Fort Smith area should combine metros. They may be a world a part in thinking, but West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Compton, East LA, North Hollywood, Long Beach, Manhattan Beach, Beverly Hills, Downtown LA are a world a part from one another too. I say this because Los Angeles County is 4,751 SQ FT.. In comparison, Benton, Washington, Crawford, Sebastian, Madison and McDonald counties combined is 4,363 SQ. FT.. Also, 800,000 population looks better to companies than 500,000 or 300,000 looks. I think it would be much better economically to just combine the two.

I don't think it's something the area can do on it's own.  If I understand correctly, there are guidelines set up to determine metro areas.  Before we would even become a single metro area, we'd probably have to meet the guidelines to become a Combined Statistical Area.  We apparently don't even meet that criteria yet.  I could possibly see the two becoming a CSA sometime in the near future.  But don't think a single metropolitan area is going to come anytime soon.

[Mith242]

On the getting a NHL, NBA, MLS or NFL team. No chance. However if we got a USL Pro team, which I think Fort Smith and NWA should both get one and create a rivalry. USL Pro teams play in the US Open Cup and often play MLS teams in the US Open Cup Tournament. If they win it, which is a long shot, they will play in the CONCACAF Champions League. If by a very long shot they win that, they will play in the FIFA Club World Cup, possibly against a team like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Juventus, Manchester United or City. And who knows, maybe US Soccer adds a Pro/Rel system one day and win our way up to MLS. Basically, what I'm saying is if we want our big league team soccer is our best shot, possibly only shot at glory.

I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a rivalry.  But I really don't think Ft Smith is large enough to support a USL Pro team.  If there's going to be any instate rivalry I think it's going to have to be NWA and Little Rock.  Even despite it's size, I have yet to hear any rumors of a USL Pro team in Little Rock.  

[TRB]

I posted on the Little Rock board about how Memphis is finding that it's new dock and terminal for passenger boats is going to need to be expanded with a boom in river cruising on the Mississippi under way. I think the State could again see some selective runs up the Arkansas in time. Little Rock and Ft. Smith need to be marketing themselves hard and maybe look into what Memphis has done to upgrade itself from walking a gang plank to shore.

[KJW]

 

As the opening of a 6.5-mile stretch of Interstate 49 through Chaffee Crossing draws closer, the trust’s boss expects to field a growing number of land offers for medical-related clinics and retail.  The state will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the highway in July “hopefully,” Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Ivy Owen said.

 

“That news is out there and people know it’s going to happen,” he said. “The people who have been waiting and holding back to make offers are now coming out of the woodwork to make offers on smaller, specialized pieces of property like medical clinics and physician’s offices, that sort of thing.”

The FCRA, formed in 1997, oversees redevelopment of land released by the U.S. Army from Fort Chaffee as part of a Base Realignment and Closure downsizing. Of the original 6,000 acres located in both Fort Smith and Barling, the FCRA has about 2,800 left to sell, Owen said. The remaining land is worth between $25 million-$27 million.

I-49 represents 1,700 miles of interstate highway between New Orleans and Winnipeg, Canada, with about 315 miles within Arkansas. A dedication ceremony was held a year ago when the U.S. Department of Transportation officially designating Interstate 540 from Alma north to the Missouri border as Interstate 49.

“It will just be a monumental accomplishment to get that done,” Owen said

http://swtimes.com/news/chaffee-crossing-boss-braces-boom

The medical school is now under construction and ARCBest likely is, too.  I know there's discussion about FSM vs. Fayetteville and SPringfdale on the other thread.  I doubt FSM ever again fully returns to the industrial strength it once had, but again, given that just under half of the land at Chaffee Crossing is still for sale how Mr. Owen's prediction comes true will show us, in miniature, just how profound of an effect a completed I-49 will have.

[wmr]

The medical school is now under construction and ARCBest likely is, too.  I know there's discussion about FSM vs. Fayetteville and SPringfdale on the other thread.  I doubt FSM ever again fully returns to the industrial strength it once had, but again, given that just under half of the land at Chaffee Crossing is still for sale how Mr. Owen's prediction comes true will show us, in miniature, just how profound of an effect a completed I-49 will have.

 

Fort Smith's issue going forward will be the same it has been for a couple of decades now.  There is a brain drain of the best and brightest heading to the north about 60 miles.  

 

NWA has had the edge in whitecollar jobs over FSM for at least 25 years and that is never going to change.  NWA is attracting people from all over, and that includes some of the best and brightest in Fort Smith.

[JJL]

Unfortunately for Fort Smith there is quite a bit of truth to that. I am one that used to live and work in a professional job in the Fort but moved to Fayetteville a decade ago. Many of my ex co-workers have also moved to other cities in NWA. On a lighter note I agree with others that are amazed we can't seem to attract a Cheddar's but Fort Smith can.

[KJW]

Agreed, gang.

 

Nonetheless, there is some white collar talent at ABF.  (Had to be at Baldor and Beverly decades back before those were bought out.  I also knew a guy in marketing for the old Mid-America auto parts (?) company.).

 

That being said, if the med school adds other areas such as a P.T. school and even a veterinary medicine school (the first in Arkansas) as they want to do, that will be something NWA does NOT have, and may never.

 

Dig this...all four of the states surrounding Arkansas in population (Iowa, Mississippi, Kansas, Utah) each already have a vet med school:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_population

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_schools_of_veterinary_medicine#United_States

 

Again, we're entering a different era for Arkansas.  I hope Fort Smith can see a positive effect as well.

[TRB]

Ft. Smith screams vehicle assembly plant to me. It has all the elements in place. If they could ever land one, it would be a boon.You would see quite a few supplier facilities pop up in the surrounding area.

[Mith242]

Ft. Smith screams vehicle assembly plant to me. It has all the elements in place. If they could ever land one, it would be a boon.You would see quite a few supplier facilities pop up in the surrounding area.

Yeah, the state always seems to push the Marion-West Memphis area for those.  Not sure if they think Ft Smith isn't big enough or what.