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Hot Springs attractions

bigboyz05

By bigboyz05
in Arkansas

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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Saw some news on tha bathhouses today. Sounds like they may have two more of them open for the 175th anniversary of the National Park. At the moment only the Fordyce and Buckstaff are open. The two that could be open next year are the Quapaw and Lamar. The Quapaw is apparently the biggest bathhouse of the eight. Investors are wanting to initially put in some retail and then eventually put in a family oriented spa. It sounds like the Lamar might end up being the office of the National Forestry Service. There are investors who are looking into turning the Maurice into an upscale spa. I haven't heard any news on the others, the Superior, Ozark, and Hale bathhouses.

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Aporkalypse City

Aporkalypse

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Saw some news on tha bathhouses today. Sounds like they may have two more of them open for the 175th anniversary of the National Park. At the moment only the Fordyce and Buckstaff are open. The two that could be open next year are the Quapaw and Lamar. The Quapaw is apparently the biggest bathhouse of the eight. Investors are wanting to initially put in some retail and then eventually put in a family oriented spa. It sounds like the Lamar might end up being the office of the National Forestry Service. There are investors who are looking into turning the Maurice into an upscale spa. I haven't heard any news on the others, the Superior, Ozark, and Hale bathhouses.

We need to find more diverse uses for the bathhouses. They are too valuable and beautiful to remain dormant and the demand for what they were designed for is too limited.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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We need to find more diverse uses for the bathhouses. They are too valuable and beautiful to remain dormant and the demand for what they were designed for is too limited.

I agree with you there. It looks like they are starting to do something with them at least. Instead of them just being nice looking structures that are sitting vacant in the National Park.

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Aporkalypse City

Aporkalypse

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I was impressed with the parking deck in downtown Hot Springs. It was built in a fashion to make it fit into its historic surroundings but best of all, it's free.

I wish downtown LR could take the hint. Free parking works when it comes to tourism. That will get some of the people at the chains further out on Central stopping downtown to eat and shop and could do the same thing in the River Market.

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dimebag1980 Metropolis

dimebag1980

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I was impressed with the parking deck in downtown Hot Springs. It was built in a fashion to make it fit into its historic surroundings but best of all, it's free.

I wish downtown LR could take the hint. Free parking works when it comes to tourism. That will get some of the people at the chains further out on Central stopping downtown to eat and shop and could do the same thing in the River Market.

I have tons of photos of that parking deck. I love it as well... it's awesome. I remember being so happy they were finally building a parking deck, but the next year when I returned and it was finished I was floored at how amazingly well-appointed it was. Definitely two thumbs up on this one!!

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Aporkalypse City

Aporkalypse

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With all of the development out on Central and the Bypass, you wonder if at some point the owners of the Hot Springs Mall will consider a major renovation and expansion. That mall could be so much more than it is right now.

You also have to wonder when Hot Springs is going to start getting Target, Best Buy, etc. That area, to me, is a better target than Bryant and Conway were. It's hard to figure out what the real impact of tourists on the retail economy is, though.

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mcheiss Metropolitan Area

mcheiss

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You also have to wonder when Hot Springs is going to start getting Target, Best Buy, etc. That area, to me, is a better target than Bryant and Conway were. It's hard to figure out what the real impact of tourists on the retail economy is, though.

Higher amount of Grocery Stores always seem to be present in tourist economies. I wonder how hard it would be for Target to come to Hot Springs since there are already 2 Wal-Mart's, plus one in Hot Springs Village in a metro of less than 100,000. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it could be a bit of a challenge.

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dimebag1980 Metropolis

dimebag1980

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With all of the development out on Central and the Bypass, you wonder if at some point the owners of the Hot Springs Mall will consider a major renovation and expansion. That mall could be so much more than it is right now.

You also have to wonder when Hot Springs is going to start getting Target, Best Buy, etc. That area, to me, is a better target than Bryant and Conway were. It's hard to figure out what the real impact of tourists on the retail economy is, though.

I've always wondered if Hot Springs Mall would be expanded or replaced altogether. I was glad when they finally added the nice, new Dillard's, but it looks so out of place on that mall. I'm in Hot Springs every year and my wife and I would love a nice mall to enjoy while there, particularly one with a decent food court... or a food court at all!

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schwilj Whistle-Stop

schwilj

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Higher amount of Grocery Stores always seem to be present in tourist economies. I wonder how hard it would be for Target to come to Hot Springs since there are already 2 Wal-Mart's, plus one in Hot Springs Village in a metro of less than 100,000. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it could be a bit of a challenge.

I see your point, although Conway has two Wal-Mart super centers and a Target...

I know it would make a lot of Spa city residents happy to get a Target (including my mom who complained about the lack of one each time she visted me in Conway), and Best Buy at that.

The HS Mall did a facelift recently putting in new carpeting and such, but a major renovation would be nice. Not sure how they would do it but they need a second floor.

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mcheiss Metropolitan Area

mcheiss

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I see your point, although Conway has two Wal-Mart super centers and a Target...

I know it would make a lot of Spa city residents happy to get a Target (including my mom who complained about the lack of one each time she visted me in Conway), and Best Buy at that.

Yes, but Conway is a college town full of young students, which probably helps with retail and restaurants coming to the city. Conway is also well over 50,000 in population and it's growing at an alarming rate.

For chain news, Best Buy is coming to Conway as well, and two Starbucks opened in the city this year, plus the one in the Target.

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Aporkalypse City

Aporkalypse

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Comparing city populations of Hot Springs and Conway is deceptive. Hot Springs may be smaller but the nearby communities like Hot Springs Village and Lake Hamiton don't count in the population. The populations of Garland and Faulkner Counties are pretty comparable (93,551 vs 97147). Of course, Hot Springs has a mall and Faulkner does not. Of course, Hot Springs has the tourist factor going for most of the year which if hard to define but probably means as much as an extra 20-40k people averaged out across the year.

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dimebag1980 Metropolis

dimebag1980

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Yeah comparing is kinda apples to oranges

I think HS could support a Target, but who knows.

I honestly believe they could support a Target, though not a SuperTarget. That area has quite a bit of population around it who I'd guess wouldn't want to drive to Little Rock to shop at Target.

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Aporkalypse City

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I honestly believe they could support a Target, though not a SuperTarget. That area has quite a bit of population around it who I'd guess wouldn't want to drive to Little Rock to shop at Target.

All "Supertarget" means is that includes a grocery store. If the LR market were to convert the stores to SuperTargets and HS (were it to get a store) and Conway would be included. The pro in that direction is a large regional Target distribution center in Maumelle.

There is a Target set to open this fall in Benton/Bryant, which is only 30 min or so from Hot Springs.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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The National Park Service and the Museum of Contemporary Art have signed a 60 year lease to open the Ozark Bathhouse as a world class art museum. The museum group proposes exhibits from top artists from around the world.

Very interesting. Which Museum of Contemporary Art are you referring to? Is this basically going to have artwork borrowed from other museums? By the way nice to see you around Tim. :D

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Aporkalypse City

Aporkalypse

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The National Park Service and the Museum of Contemporary Art have signed a 60 year lease to open the Ozark Bathhouse as a world class art museum. The museum group proposes exhibits from top artists from around the world.

I read that the other day. Two of the other bathhouses are being renovated - one as a day spa and the other as a high end "destination" spa. I'm glad the vacancy issue with the baths is being addressed and hope this works. Those are some of the most amazing buildings in Arkansas but it's always been tough to figure out what to do with them.

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