Restaurant Development in NW Arkansas

[vbfl85]

NWA was the 6th fastest growing MSA from 1990 to 2000. It grew by 47.5%.

[tim2462]

I can see that. Be warned though that by adding neighboring counties Shreveport's MSA could add a whole lot of population. There are a lot of populous communities nearby. The same could happen in LR at some point - addition of Jefferson, Garland, and maybe even White Cos could really boost the MSA population substantially.

No doubt. I wish they would add those counties to Little Rock. Also, while I don't think all of Pulaski County should be consolidated into Little Rock, I do think that Little Rock and North Little Rock should merge. North Little Rock is quite urban and is by no means a suburb. A merger of the 2 would give us a city of about 250,000. With The two cities growing at a healthy pace, we'd be on our way to being a "big city."

2005 Population for counties that could / should be added:

Garland 93,551

Hot Spring 31,264

Jefferson 81,700

White 71,332

[Aporkalypse]

No doubt. I wish they would add those counties to Little Rock. Also, while I don't think all of Pulaski County should be consolidated into Little Rock, I do think that Little Rock and North Little Rock should merge. North Little Rock is quite urban and is by no means a suburb. A merger of the 2 would give us a city of about 250,000. With The two cities growing at a healthy pace, we'd be on our way to being a "big city."

2005 Population for counties that could / should be added:

Garland 93,551

Hot Spring 31,264

Jefferson 81,700

White 71,332

I agree with the merger of LR and NLR for tax base purposes. A small sales tax increase could accomplish a lot more in both cities than just one alone as the funding of Alltel Arena by all of Pulaski Co showed.

A healthy Saline County is what will make the metro grow, as now there is a development gap between Benton and Hot Springs and Malvern that could be obilterated easily if Benton takes off once Bryant has filled out.

If growth moves out from Cabot to Austin/Ward and Beebe more and the 67/167 corridor there fills in some White Co could easily join the metro.

There is a decent case for Jefferson Co to grow but little or no growth is occurring out that way. Jefferson's population is decreasing and I-530 is not experiencing any significant development.

[slyder1]

Sorry to get off topic but I was wanting to know how to start a subforum for Springfield. Can I even do that?

If someone could PM me or post that info I would be very appreciative. Once again sorry to get off topic.

[Mith242]

Sorry to get off topic but I was wanting to know how to start a subforum for Springfield. Can I even do that?

If someone could PM me or post that info I would be very appreciative. Once again sorry to get off topic.

Offtopic our offtopic discussion. You'd need a moderator to start up a new subforum. Matt stepped down so at the moment we don't really have one over the Arkansas/NWA/Little Rock forums at the moment. I suppose you could PM Nate(NCB). He might refer you to monsoon but he could probably answer your questions at least.

[johnnydr87]

A Springfield forum in Arkansas? Don't want to sound rude, but that would be out of place.

A Springfield forum in MO, however, sounds like a good idea. That's what I've often wondered....if someone wanted to read about springfield, how would they know to go to the Arkansas forum?

[tim2462]

A Springfield forum in Arkansas? Don't want to sound rude, but that would be out of place.

A Springfield forum in MO, however, sounds like a good idea. That's what I've often wondered....if someone wanted to read about springfield, how would they know to go to the Arkansas forum?

He didn't make it clear which forum he wanted it in. I wondered about that.

Springfield is in an unfortunate situation. I've been to the missouri forum and there's virtually no

activity exept in the kc stl forums...and not a lot there sometimes. Springfield would be ignored there.

But like you said, no one knows to come to the ar forum to read about springfield. So, maybe it should be put in the mo forum and slyder can post away. We can all make it a point to go there to keep it going. Hopefully people would not ignore it.

[johnnydr87]

Or maybe it could be linked from both forums, Arkansas AND Missouri.

[Mith242]

Yeah the reason the Branson/Springfield topic was started here because no one in the Missouri forum seemed interested in talking about anything outside of Kansas City and St Louis. It seems like people over here seem more interested. Of course Johnny brought up a good point, people could go over there and look and not see anything. But if people do a search I guess you could come across it over here in the NWA forum.

[slyder1]

I would obviously put it In the Missouri Forum. I found another website that is the biggest Missori forum about Springfield and Branson (which has 10,000 members) and plan on getting the word to them about a new Springfield/Branson forum. It would be stupid to put a Springfield subfrum in Arkansas forum.

[tim2462]

I would obviously put it In the Missouri Forum. I found another website that is the biggest Missori forum about Springfield and Branson (which has 10,000 members) and plan on getting the word to them about a new Springfield/Branson forum. It would be stupid to put a Springfield subfrum in Arkansas forum.

Maybe it's stupid to have one period. No one in Missouri cares about Springfield, outside of Springfield.

KC and STL are the only places they care about. Putting it there and only there, you'd just be posting to yourself.

[masons_dad1]

Maybe it's stupid to have one period. No one in Missouri cares about Springfield, outside of Springfield.

KC and STL are the only places they care about. Putting it there and only there, you'd just be posting to yourself.

That's a bit harsh IMO. Springfield is bigger, brighter and shinier than NWA except for the fact that all this glorious growth and development in NWA is new whereas Springfield has been a bigger city for quite some time and has had much of what NWA is getting for a lot longer. Especially if it's a "Springfield/Branson subforum... then it would blow away NWA as far as growth and popularity. We should be thankful that the NWA subforum is as popular as it is because NWA is still a small town metro on the national radar.

[slyder1]

Maybe it's stupid to have one period. No one in Missouri cares about Springfield, outside of Springfield.

KC and STL are the only places they care about. Putting it there and only there, you'd just be posting to yourself.

There you go again. There are plenty of people that care about Springfield that are not from the area. In fact most of the people that move here are those that live in the St. Louis- Kansas City area's to get away from the big city hustle and bustle, and that Springfield is the cheepest place to livein the US as well as being in the top 10 best cities to live in the US countless times. Springfield is know to have all the BIG city oppurtunities without the big city hassles.

[johnnydr87]

Maybe it's stupid to have one period. No one in Missouri cares about Springfield, outside of Springfield.

KC and STL are the only places they care about. Putting it there and only there, you'd just be posting to yourself.

Hahahaha...

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha.....

........

Hahahahahahahaha........

That was so tactless it's funny...

[johnnydr87]

That's a bit harsh IMO. Springfield is bigger, brighter and shinier than NWA except for the fact that all this glorious growth and development in NWA is new whereas Springfield has been a bigger city for quite some time and has had much of what NWA is getting for a lot longer. Especially if it's a "Springfield/Branson subforum... then it would blow away NWA as far as growth and popularity. We should be thankful that the NWA subforum is as popular as it is because NWA is still a small town metro on the national radar.

Probably not.

The NWA metro forum is bigger than most city/state forums on here. A credit to your puritan rectitudes. Applause all around.

Springfield Metro: 398,124

NWA metro: 347,045

The metros aren't that different in size, and NWA is catching up....

[tim2462]

Probably not.

The NWA metro forum is bigger than most city/state forums on here. A credit to your puritan rectitudes. Applause all around.

Springfield Metro: 398,124

NWA metro: 347,045

The metros aren't that different in size, and NWA is catching up....

Actually, NWA has passed up the Springfield metro in population. The numbers are posted in the Springfield thread. They were both at 390,000 last estimates, however NWA has had special censuses and still has some to go. It is now officially bigger.

[tim2462]

That's a bit harsh IMO. Springfield is bigger, brighter and shinier than NWA except for the fact that all this glorious growth and development in NWA is new whereas Springfield has been a bigger city for quite some time and has had much of what NWA is getting for a lot longer. Especially if it's a "Springfield/Branson subforum... then it would blow away NWA as far as growth and popularity. We should be thankful that the NWA subforum is as popular as it is because NWA is still a small town metro on the national radar.

I was not being harsh, I was just being honest. Go to the Missouri forum, The southwest missouri and the ozarks thread only has 14 replies in it since mith started it back in august '05. So, I seriously doubt a Springfield subforum would blow anyone out of the water, much less this busy subforum. Please be realisitc . NWA has grown larger than Springfield. Springfield is definitely not bigger, brighter, and shinier than NWA. Have you been there? You also contradicted yourself with the statement that followed that.

A whole lot more people move to NWA than Springfield. Over 1000 people move to NWA every month.

You want to talk about small town metro? Springfield is very much a small town metro if a metro like NWA has already passed it up in population, not to mention the building boom. If you have a Springfield subforum, it will be ignored. Most of the people only care about STL and KC...and last time I checked, not even many people were posting in there. He said it's stupid to have a Springfield subforum in Arkansas...well, it is already here. The Springfield/Branson thread in here is basically a subforum and has a lot more attention than it would get in Missouri. The thing is, in Arkansas, we care about Springfield / Branson because it's close to us and similar to NWA in many ways. However, Springfield is just a small town to people in STL and KC...they could care less about what's going on down on the Arkansas border. I think the NWA forum is more popular than even the KC and STL forums, there just aren't many people over in the missouri forum.

[tim2462]

There you go again. There are plenty of people that care about Springfield that are not from the area. In fact most of the people that move here are those that live in the St. Louis- Kansas City area's to get away from the big city hustle and bustle, and that Springfield is the cheepest place to livein the US as well as being in the top 10 best cities to live in the US countless times. Springfield is know to have all the BIG city oppurtunities without the big city hassles.

What you say may be true, but those people aren't posters on urban planet.

A Springfield subforum would never make it in the Missouri forum alone.

The Missouri forum isn't very busy at all. Those people that do post in KC and STL

could care less about what happens in Springfield, on the Arkansas border.

The Springfield/Branson thread in here is basically a subforum and does ok here

because we care about Springfield more because it's close to us and similar to NWA

in many ways. Oh, and that spill about being in the top 10 countless times and big city opps

without big city hassles...the same can be said about NWA. But as both areas grow, so will the

hassles. In the rankings, I've never seen Springfield in the top 10. I'd like to know what you're

looking at. I've seen Fayetteville in the top 10 in a few of them, but you can't give those surveys

much credit...I saw one recently where Memphis, TN was in the top 10....HA! Those are so subjective.

The last "Cities Ranked" I saw had Salt Lake City as #1....you won't find many people that agree with that.

So, bragging about top 10 is usually worthless.

[tim2462]

Hahahaha...

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha.....

........

Hahahahahahahaha........

That was so tactless it's funny...

Well, he just doesn't realize how dead it would be in Missouri. Those people care about 2 cities, and Springfield is not one of them. The Missouri forum isn't very busy anyway. Then he says it's stupid to have the subforum in Arkansas, yet the Springfield / Branson thread in here is bascially a subforum and he posts away in it. So, it must not be that stupid. It gets a lot more attention here than it will over there. Maybe they should just post a link over there that will direct people here.

[tim2462]

I continued this in the correct thread, so that we could get this one back to NWA restaurant development.

[mcheiss]

Back on Subject.

I noticed that the Church's in Rogers is now officially opened. I haven't been yet, but i will go sometime this week.

[slyder1]

I was not being harsh, I was just being honest. Go to the Missouri forum, The southwest missouri and the ozarks thread only has 14 replies in it since mith started it back in august '05. So, I seriously doubt a Springfield subforum would blow anyone out of the water, much less this busy subforum. Please be realisitc . NWA has grown larger than Springfield. Springfield is definitely not bigger, brighter, and shinier than NWA. Have you been there? You also contradicted yourself with the statement that followed that.

A whole lot more people move to NWA than Springfield. Over 1000 people move to NWA every month.

You want to talk about small town metro? Springfield is very much a small town metro if a metro like NWA has already passed it up in population, not to mention the building boom. If you have a Springfield subforum, it will be ignored. Most of the people only care about STL and KC...and last time I checked, not even many people were posting in there. He said it's stupid to have a Springfield subforum in Arkansas...well, it is already here. The Springfield/Branson thread in here is basically a subforum and has a lot more attention than it would get in Missouri. The thing is, in Arkansas, we care about Springfield / Branson because it's close to us and similar to NWA in many ways. However, Springfield is just a small town to people in STL and KC...they could care less about what's going on down on the Arkansas border. I think the NWA forum is more popular than even the KC and STL forums, there just aren't many people over in the missouri forum.

First off Springfield is 50 years older than NWA cities and has about 20 years of urbanization on NWA not to mention countless things Springfield has had and is still getting that NWA is just now getting. Springfield MSA is bigger and more urban than NWA alltogether. Im not harping on NWA just turning around all the your false statements. I love the area as I have been there many times and am glad to see it getting the attention it deserves. You also seem to ignore that Christian county is actually growing faster than NWA according to the 2004-2005 100 fastest growing counties census lists. More people does not make a city better. Springfield area and Branson are growing closer and closer every year and will eventually be a continuous metro. I am done debating with you about Springfield and NWA, both cities have their ups and downs and both will end up on top. It doesn't matter what you say about Springfield because most of it is BS anyways.

[tim2462]

I agree with you on a lot of points. However, you are incorrect on a few things.

The Springfield MSA is not bigger than NWA's MSA. NWA has officially shot past Springfield.

You talk about what each place has and the amount of time it took and all that...

Well, NWA has gotten in the last 10 years what it has taken Springfield 100 yrs. to get.

Not too long ago, NWA was nothing. Now it has surpassed Springfield in many ways.

So, don't tell me because Springfield is an older city, that it has more and is more urban.

I've been to Springfield many times. I love the area. I am going again in a few weeks. But for you

to act like Springfield is some huge metropoils is bs...It looks just like NWA...they both are small metros in the foothills/plateau of the ozarks. Springfield doesn't look like a big city, neither does NWA. They're both like huge suburbs. So, there's no need to argue about that.

Oh, and the 100 fastest growing counties you mentioned...that is for one year, you can't base much on that.

It's based on percentages, not actual numbers. NWA gains over 1000 residents every month. The Springfield MSA is not keeping up with that, that's why NWA has passed Springfield up in population. With all of the big companies and wal-mart vendors in NWA and that will continue to move into NWA, common sense tells you that it will continue to outgrow Springfield. Wal-Mart has about 200 Vendors in NWA right now...They do business with about 20,000. So, even though they're not all going to come, many many more will. Springfield doesn't have that. Not to mention all of the people coming in for the same reasons as they are moving into Springfield....the smaller metros with conveniences of a larger city.

One more thing:

Nothing I have ever said about Springfield has been bs. I have only stated facts about the two metros.

You just get upset because the facts don't support a lot of the bs you spew out about Springfield.

I tried to be nice to you and be civil, but you always ignore facts and give me a hard time about it.

[Aporkalypse]

Springfield is a nice place. It has excellent quality of life and many of the qualities most of us like about NWA apply to it as well.

NWA just passed up Springfield in regional prominence, I think people in both places know that.

Springfield is decidedly more urban that NWA, though, basically because it's an older, more established city.

[masons_dad1]

Back on Subject.

I noticed that the Church's in Rogers is now officially opened. I haven't been yet, but i will go sometime this week.

I wouldn't bother with Church's in Rogers. I ate there yesterday and it was pitiful. The dining room is awful with only a few tables and no atmosphere (even for fast food), they were out of macaroni and cheese, the chicken wasn't even fresh (even for greasy fried chicken), they screwed up several orders, they didn't have any plasticware or even sweet-n-low stocked, the only condiments were some small tupperware bins sitting on the ordering counter, after we had been eating for 15 minutes an employee comes out asking if our number was called yet, absolutely no training (most likely due to all the employees being paid minimum wage), even the parking lot and sidewalk area is crappy.

Popeyes Chicken in Rogers opened with perfection and their starting pay was $8.00 per hour. If you're going to try Church's I suggest waiting a couple months for them to get trained and I suggest the drive-thru window would be better than submitting yourself to that crappy little box with windows.