Central or Northwest Arkansas Merger

[Mith242]

I touched on this subject in the Little Rock-North Little Rock merger topic and though I'd try to give it a shot in it's own topic. I don't think either area is likely to have any merging anytime soon. As far as I know neither area has even seriously talked about it. There are some differences between the two areas. Little Rock is easily much bigger than North Little Rock. But in northwest Arkansas none of the cities are that much bigger or dominate than the others. Also as of now northwest Arkansas is still somewhat spread out. Fayetteville and Springdale have grown together and also Rogers and Bentonville have. But between these two sites there still is some nondeveloped areas. Now with the rate of growth going on this may not stay like this too much longer. But I think it would probably be too difficult to have all four cities try to merge anyway. Also the pairs are divided by different counties. Fayetteville and Springdale in Washington, Bentonville and Rogers in Benton. As far as northwest Arkansas is concerned I don't think the way things are now that there would be any merging. There still seems to be an attitude about getting too large or becoming too urban. Isn't wasn't that long ago that this area was a much smaller area and there are still plenty of people who want to keep that familiar feeling. But with all the growth nothing is set in stone. There are still many changes going on up here and there could be a possibility in the near future of something happening that doesn't seem possible today. Of course both areas would have some similar problems such as local officials not wanting to lose their jobs and so on. One difference I see in central Arkansas is North Little Rock feeling like it is being swallowed up by the much bigger Little Rock. But anyway does anyone have any predictions? Will either area see any merging at all? Which area will it be more likely to happen? If both then which area will it happen first?

[johnnydr87]

My prediction is that a merger between Little Rock and North Little Rock would/will happen more quickly. The cities are so intertwined on so many different levels, and with more economic development on the riverbanks, are becoming more and more intertwined. The culmination of this activity could be a merger.

Although NW AR is growing faster, it's still very separated by land and made up of suburbs....If the area was more dense, I might see a merger taking place. But that will only happen many many years in the future once it starts getting dense.

[Mith242]

My prediction is that a merger between Little Rock and North Little Rock would/will happen more quickly.  The cities are so intertwined on so many different levels, and with more economic development on the riverbanks, are becoming more and more intertwined.  The culmination of this activity could be a merger.

Although NW AR is growing faster, it's still very separated by land and made up of suburbs....If the area was more dense, I might see a merger taking place.  But that will only happen many many years in the future once it starts getting dense.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

While I do agree with you, there isn't too much land between areas in northwest Arkansas. Fayetteville and Springdale have grown together and Bentonville and Rogers have grown together. Now there is space between the two pairs, although I'm not sure how much longer that will be with all the development and growth. But I do think that North Little Rock and Little Rock would probably be more ready to merge.

And on a sidenote, doesn't look like you've been gone too long so far Johnny.

Johnny you don't have to pretend to be gone to be appreciated here.

[Arkansawyer]

I don't see either happening anytime soon, but I'll say that Little Rock and North Little Rock would merge first. The reason is that the two cities in many ways function as one city. Both cities began on the banks of the Arkansas River and grew outwards, essentially from the same core. Historically, NLR was an industrial area outside of LR, then became part of LR, and then became independent again.

As much as the two cities have competed in the past, there has been some cooperation as well. NLR got Alltel Arena, but LR got the funds for the expansion of the Statehouse Convention Center. The new trolley system connects the cities. It can be viewed as two areas of a city competing for a development project, but really being one city. Yeah, it's best to have it in your neighborhood, but you'll still go to another part of town to use it. Projects aren't duplicated in both cities. Citizens of Little Rock feel that Alltel Arena is theirs, and NLR residents don't worry about not having a convention center, because there's one right across the river.

The cities in Northwest Arkansas formed as independent cities, and there's a good distance between the cities' cores, or downtowns. Now, they're beginning to grow into each other with new development and sprawl, but they still function very much as independent cities. A perfect example is the fact that rather than have one large convention center, every major city up there has one. Also, Fayetteville wouldn't be fond of merging and losing control of its development.

So, just based on history and practicality, I think the Central Arkansas cities would merge first. I really wish they would, I just don't see it happening in the forseeable future.

[Mith242]

I don't see either happening anytime soon, but I'll say that Little Rock and North Little Rock would merge first. The reason is that the two cities in many ways function as one city. Both cities began on the banks of the Arkansas River and grew outwards, essentially from the same core. Historically, NLR was an industrial area outside of LR, then became part of LR, and then became independent again.

As much as the two cities have competed in the past, there has been some cooperation as well. NLR got Alltel Arena, but LR got the funds for the expansion of the Statehouse Convention Center. The new trolley system connects the cities. It can be viewed as two areas of a city competing for a development project, but really being one city. Yeah, it's best to have it in your neighborhood, but you'll still go to another part of town to use it. Projects aren't duplicated in both cities. Citizens of Little Rock feel that Alltel Arena is theirs, and NLR residents don't worry about not having a convention center, because there's one right across the river.

The cities in Northwest Arkansas formed as independent cities, and there's a good distance between the cities' cores, or downtowns. Now, they're beginning to grow into each other with new development and sprawl, but they still function very much as independent cities. A perfect example is the fact that rather than have one large convention center, every major city up there has one. Also, Fayetteville wouldn't be fond of merging and losing control of its development.

So, just based on history and practicality, I think the Central Arkansas cities would merge first. I really wish they would, I just don't see it happening in the forseeable future.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As far as northwest Arkansas is concerned all of that is very true. The only thing that might affect northwest Arkansas as far as this is concerned is that this area is evolving more rapidly because of the rapid growth. I don't think people could imagine everything that's going on up here just a decade ago. Although each city acts on it's own people might change their minds as the growth continues. Maybe not likely but it is one possibility that northwest Arkansas may have.