Cafe La Petit Roche

[Village Ant]

Build a stronger middle-class would be my suggestion. I don't know how you can revitalize Central Little Rock, and therefore War Memorial Park, without redistributing money from the River Market District and other areas, unless you have more consumers. Central Little Rock has to be supported by those who live in Central Little Rock if it's going to be successful without pulling from other areas of town.

It might also lower the crime rate in the process.

[Aporkalypse]

Build a stronger middle-class would be my suggestion. I don't know how you can revitalize Central Little Rock, and therefore War Memorial Park, without redistributing money from the River Market District and other areas, unless you have more consumers. Central Little Rock has to be supported by those who live in Central Little Rock if it's going to be successful without pulling from other areas of town.

It might also lower the crime rate in the process.

The problem is that the much of the middle class has already moved to places like Bryant, Conway, Sherwood, Cabot, etc for various reasons including crime and the perception of better public schools. Little Rock is lucky in that it seems to have maintained a decent amount of middle class that similar cities like Jackson and Shreveport lost to the burbs (at least proportionally). Retaining the middle class will make or break Little Rock.

As for Central LR neighborhoods, some are middle class. Leawood and Tanglewood probably ar, as is Briarwood and the Boyle Park area and the area around Fair Park down to UALR. Stifft's station and Hall High probably are as well. Hillcrest is probably priced above that category now and the Heights is well out of that category.

[theman]

We've discussed all of the development that is going on downtown from 300 Third to Lafayette Square to the Nature Center to the new Butler Center, but something that I haven't seen mentioned is the expansion of the Federal Court Bldg. There was a nice article in the paper yesterday about it. The $83 million, 155,000 sq ft expansion has truly changed that part of Little Rock and is a welcomed addition.

[skirby]

We've discussed all of the development that is going on downtown from 300 Third to Lafayette Square to the Nature Center to the new Butler Center, but something that I haven't seen mentioned is the expansion of the Federal Court Bldg. There was a nice article in the paper yesterday about it. The $83 million, 155,000 sq ft expansion has truly changed that part of Little Rock and is a welcomed addition.

This project has been mentioned before along with photos of its construction. I would not go as far as to call it a welcome addition. I would have perferred a mixed-use building at this location. With the Federal Court Building expansion you also have an expansion of a five day a week nine to five activity center. The rest of the time it will be dead.

[Aporkalypse]

This project has been mentioned before along with photos of its construction. I would not go as far as to call it a welcome addition. I would have perferred a mixed-use building at this location. With the Federal Court Building expansion you also have an expansion of a five day a week nine to five activity center. The rest of the time it will be dead.

I was fine with it, it replaced eyesores with admirable buildings and I don't think mixed use would've done well in that location. There are several sites closer to Main and the River Market I would rather see redeveloped as mixed use first.

[theman]

This project has been mentioned before along with photos of its construction. I would not go as far as to call it a welcome addition. I would have perferred a mixed-use building at this location. With the Federal Court Building expansion you also have an expansion of a five day a week nine to five activity center. The rest of the time it will be dead.

The majority of buildings downtown get little to no use at night and on weekends. I agree with Aporkalypse. A parking lot and smaller structures were replaced by a structure that makes a statement.

[theman]

Did you guys see the article in the DG about the LaQuinta Inn downtown and how the owners are going to put $4 million in upgrades in the hotel, but make it a limited service hotel (which LaQuinta's are)? I guess this is ok because that may be the right type of hotel for that part of downtown with most leisure travelers and conventioneers wanting to stay in or near the River Market. I think this opens the door for a new full service hotel downtown. It will be needed if Little Rock want to draw more and larger conventions. The only full service hotels downtown are The Peabody, DoubleTree, Holiday Inn Presidential and the Capitol (when it reopens). The Wyndham in NLR is included in most tourism numbers as well.

[gmariam]

There is also the Courtyard by Marriott.

[Aporkalypse]

Did you guys see the article in the DG about the LaQuinta Inn downtown and how the owners are going to put $4 million in upgrades in the hotel, but make it a limited service hotel (which LaQuinta's are)? I guess this is ok because that may be the right type of hotel for that part of downtown with most leisure travelers and conventioneers wanting to stay in or near the River Market. I think this opens the door for a new full service hotel downtown. It will be needed if Little Rock want to draw more and larger conventions. The only full service hotels downtown are The Peabody, DoubleTree, Holiday Inn Presidential and the Capitol (when it reopens). The Wyndham in NLR is included in most tourism numbers as well.

I saw that as well. The problem with that location is that it is too far from the tourist core and is out of the walkable loop of downtown LR/NLR. I would've preferred to see it as a Holiday Inn or something along those lines, I hope it is kept up as a La Quinta.

I think the lesson that has been learned is that if you are putting a new hotel in downtown LR, it needs to be within spitting distance of the riverfront. Just because downtown is doing well and hotel receipts are way up doesn't mean a halfass attempt at a luxury hotel several blocks from the core will do well.

[theman]

There is also the Courtyard by Marriott.

The Courtyard By Marriott is not a full service hotel. It doesn't have an onsite restaurant. It does provide room service through Vemillion I think.

[skirby]

Next summer could mark the end of new road construction in the LR/NLR metro area for the next ten years. It would be the third year in a row that the area is not in compliance with ozone standards. Because the North Belt has not started construction then it would not be able to be constructed during this ten year period. Maybe it is time to think about increasing the tax on fuel and use the increase for transit programs. It would not be the first time one form of travel was taxed to benefit another. During the 1950's rail passengers were taxed to provide funding for the Interstate Highway System.

[Aporkalypse]

Next summer could mark the end of new road construction in the LR/NLR metro area for the next ten years. It would be the third year in a row that the area is not in compliance with ozone standards. Because the North Belt has not started construction then it would not be able to be constructed during this ten year period. Maybe it is time to think about increasing the tax on fuel and use the increase for transit programs. It would not be the first time one form of travel was taxed to benefit another. During the 1950's rail passengers were taxed to provide funding for the Interstate Highway System.

You always hear about this stuff but why doesn't it impact larger cities? DFW has significantly higher ozone levels, to the point you're often advised to stay indoors on hot days, yet new freeways are going up everywhere here. LR has lower ozone than Memphis. This ozone attainment/nonattainment really doesn't make sense.

[skirby]

Big stink over Little Rock's hamburger tax. The Arkansas Dem-Gaz has be running a story on the lack of accountability by the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau. With a budget of $12 million, the same as the Houston, TX bureau and employment of 105 full-time and 75 part-time compared to Houston's 83 full-time employees the paper ask what is the money being spent on. The city collects over $10 million with the tax and the LRCVB has a $2 million debt payment on the Statehouse Convention Center. The LRCVB spent over $400k to get a convention this year with only 1200 attendees. They say visitors are up for the city but cannot justify this claim. Airport use is down so how are these out of town visitors getting here?

LRCVB has a budget of $12 million while Central Arkansas Transit Authority has a operating budget of $12.6 million. Is something wrong here?

IMO too much money is being spent on an overstaffed organization. They do not have to justify their expenses or if the expenses result in increase business for the city. I would like to see promotions limited to 1/3rd of their revenue, 1/3rd for facilities and the final 1/3rd for the expansion and running of the River Rail.

[Aporkalypse]

Big stink over Little Rock's hamburger tax. The Arkansas Dem-Gaz has be running a story on the lack of accountability by the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau. With a budget of $12 million, the same as the Houston, TX bureau and employment of 105 full-time and 75 part-time compared to Houston's 83 full-time employees the paper ask what is the money being spent on. The city collects over $10 million with the tax and the LRCVB has a $2 million debt payment on the Statehouse Convention Center. The LRCVB spent over $400k to get a convention this year with only 1200 attendees. They say visitors are up for the city but cannot justify this claim. Airport use is down so how are these out of town visitors getting here?

LRCVB has a budget of $12 million while Central Arkansas Transit Authority has a operating budget of $12.6 million. Is something wrong here?

IMO too much money is being spent on an overstaffed organization. They do not have to justify their expenses or if the expenses result in increase business for the city. I would like to see promotions limited to 1/3rd of their revenue, 1/3rd for facilities and the final 1/3rd for the expansion and running of the River Rail.

What made you think visitors and airport numbers are down? Both are significantly up. Hotel occupancy numbers are supposedly up but airport numbers were recently released and have been up 5-10% every month. Dec looks to be up from 101,000 to 114,000 passengers. I thought the spending on the Omega Psi Phi convention was excessive as well, BTW.

I have no problem with spending to get conventions and I think it's working to some degree (LULAC was great for the city, as was the recent philanthropy convention). However, the LRCVB has made some big snafus. First, non-competitive bidding which allowed LRCVB president Mary Beth Ringgold (owner of Cajun's Wharf and Capers) to host virtually all of the LRCVB functions. Those types of affairs have to be open to bids. It also seems there has been a lot of frivolous spending.

The other issue is what to do about the Riverfront Ampitheatre. Its revamp is getting a ton of opposition from the various groups of people who are generally upset about everything. The problem is its condition is causing it to be a money loser for the city when traditionally it was a revenue generator. Letting the LRCVB take it over makes sense and putting the restaurant tax into it doesn't bother me because otherwise the facility is going to bleed the city's budget. Either way it will have to be fixed eventually.

[Aporkalypse]

One other issue I forgot to mention that's huge was the LRCVB's mismanagement of Curran Hall. That was an expensive debacle, regardless, but the back room unadvertised meetings to determine its fate really angered a lot of people, including me.

[skirby]

What made you think visitors and airport numbers are down? Both are significantly up. Hotel occupancy numbers are supposedly up but airport numbers were recently released and have been up 5-10% every month. Dec looks to be up from 101,000 to 114,000 passengers. I thought the spending on the Omega Psi Phi convention was excessive as well, BTW.

I have no problem with spending to get conventions and I think it's working to some degree (LULAC was great for the city, as was the recent philanthropy convention). However, the LRCVB has made some big snafus. First, non-competitive bidding which allowed LRCVB president Mary Beth Ringgold (owner of Cajun's Wharf and Capers) to host virtually all of the LRCVB functions. Those types of affairs have to be open to bids. It also seems there has been a lot of frivolous spending.

The other issue is what to do about the Riverfront Ampitheatre. Its revamp is getting a ton of opposition from the various groups of people who are generally upset about everything. The problem is its condition is causing it to be a money loser for the city when traditionally it was a revenue generator. Letting the LRCVB take it over makes sense and putting the restaurant tax into it doesn't bother me because otherwise the facility is going to bleed the city's budget. Either way it will have to be fixed eventually.

You need to recheck your numbers on airport usage. Year-to-date numbers are down. From 1.17 million last year to 1.14 million this year. Passengers boarding last month were down 2.5 percent. The reason given for the expected increase for Dec. is the number of people going to the bowl game.

[Aporkalypse]

I had seen modest increases in every month I remember seeing enplanements and deplanements for. Do you have a link for the numbers.

Last year there was an 11.14% increase over the prior year, which was one of the biggest jumps in the country.

[skirby]

I had seen modest increases in every month I remember seeing enplanements and deplanements for. Do you have a link for the numbers.

Last year there was an 11.14% increase over the prior year, which was one of the biggest jumps in the country.

You can look at page one of the business section in today's Arkansas DG or Monday's edition will also give the numbers.

[Aporkalypse]

You can look at page one of the business section in today's Arkansas DG or Monday's edition will also give the numbers.

It's not on the online version, so I have no access to it. Thanks, though. If you get a chance to post them sometime, I appreciate it.

[LRU1967]

Both Arkansas Business and Arkansas Times report that The Advertising and Promotions Commission has re-elected Mary Beth Ringold Chairman by a 6 to 1 vote. The motion to support Ringold was by Commission member and City Director Dean Kumpuris. Outgoing Mayor Jim Dailey said he had "tremendous confidence in her integrity". Ringold disputed the Democrat-Gazette article which said the Omega Psi Phi convention only had 1,288 people registered. She claimed 6,000 to 7,000 attended the event.

http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/

[Aporkalypse]

Both Arkansas Business and Arkansas Times report that The Advertising and Promotions Commission has re-elected Mary Beth Ringold Chairman by a 6 to 1 vote. The motion to support Ringold was by Commission member and City Director Dean Kumpuris. Outgoing Mayor Jim Dailey said he had "tremendous confidence in her integrity". Ringold disputed the Democrat-Gazette article which said the Omega Psi Phi convention only had 1,288 people registered. She claimed 6,000 to 7,000 attended the event.

http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/

Ringold resigned and it sounds like Stodola is committed to reworking the organization of the commission. There's been way too many corruption issues lately, I hate to see the spending issue impair Stodola from bringing an agenda to the mayor's office.

There was an awful punctuation mark to the crime problems the city had this year. The Metropolitan Nat'l Bank at Colony West (I-430 and Rodney Parham) was robbed and a teller was shot in the back in cold blood to send a message to the other tellers to cooperate. The guy was 25 and working on a Master's in Business. That struck a little too close to Pleasant Valley for most West LR's comfort, I fear, and I would wager this poor guy's death becomes something of a rallying point for anti-crime measures in the city the way a couple of bad events in the early 1990s did when Stodola was prosecutor (a young college student shot at Markham Liquor and a high school honor student delivering pizzas shot for wearing the wrong color).

[Aporkalypse]

Some good news: The Deluxe Video DVD plant in NLR is being sold to Optical Disk Servies of Germany and they intend to keep it open. The plant once employed 750 and currently employees 500 and was supposed to close within a year. Good news for North Little Rock!

The parent company for Deluxe is getting out of the video business altogether and concentrating on casino and gaming businesses in Europe.

If you don't remember, this is where many of the VHS and DVDs of Titanic were produced.

[theman]

Some good news: The Deluxe Video DVD plant in NLR is being sold to Optical Disk Servies of Germany and they intend to keep it open. The plant once employed 750 and currently employees 500 and was supposed to close within a year. Good news for North Little Rock!

The parent company for Deluxe is getting out of the video business altogether and concentrating on casino and gaming businesses in Europe.

If you don't remember, this is where many of the VHS and DVDs of Titanic were produced.

They have to get a contract with one of the big studios in the US in order to keep the plant open and they don't have one yet. The HR manager at Deluxe is telling the employees to continue to look for other jobs.

[Aporkalypse]

They have to get a contract with one of the big studios in the US in order to keep the plant open and they don't have one yet. The HR manager at Deluxe is telling the employees to continue to look for other jobs.

Yeah, the story changed after the initial article from Ark Business.

There is a little bit more hope now than there was.

[skirby]

The hamburger tax collections for Little Rock was up for the first 11 months by 5.6%. Sounds like the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau is doing a good job. Year to date collections came in at $8.5 million compared to $8 million for the same period last year. The LRCVB says things look good but do they really? During the same period hotel occupancy rates fell 3.5%. The hamburger tax in Little Rock is a 2% tax on restaurants and hotels. The LRCVB releases tax revenue but does not break it down to show the take from hotels compared to restaurants. As long as the tax collections increase due to locals eating at Little Rock restaurants the LRCVB can claim they are doing their job. For the first 11 month of 2006 LR had and average of 2259 rooms per night vacant.