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Hot Springs


tim2462

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Big Plan? Could it be a condo/hotel project? Seems like a nice condo project would work well in Hot Springs.

The problem is that so many people want to live near the lakes or near the golf courses at Hot Springs Village but I think it still could work. There are already a lot of high dollar condos in Hot Springs including a couple of major new developments but these are all on Lake Hamilton. Maybe something like this in the middle of downtown would do well. You would walk to so many restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues it would be convenient.

Housing prices in the Hot Springs area are very high for Arkansas. It would be nice if they had some affordable condos downtown.

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I think some downtown condos would enhance their downtown area. I know a lot of people would prefer to be near one of the lakes but with the downtown becoming a nicer place it seems to me that being able to live downtown would also be a nice option.

Per the Ark Times blog it will be a condo conversion with ground floor retail, possibly incorporating a spa. The addition built in the 1950s will be torn down.

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  • 3 months later...

I was in Hot Springs yesterday and noticed that the Applebee's appears to be out of business. Does anyone know why they closed? I doubt it was because lack of business. I know a lot of restaurants have opened in the area in the last few years, but the area can more than support of all of them.

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I was in Hot Springs yesterday and noticed that the Applebee's appears to be out of business. Does anyone know why they closed? I doubt it was because lack of business. I know a lot of restaurants have opened in the area in the last few years, but the area can more than support of all of them.

Appleby's hasn't closed. The kitchen recently caught fire, and the restaurant is simply closed for repairs. They better hurry...Oaklawn racing season begins this week!

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Here's another shot of Hot Springs' downtown. The tallest building you see is the Medical Arts Building, which was built in 1930. It holds the title of Arkansas' first skyscraper and was the tallest building in the state until 1960 when the Tower Building was built in Little Rock. The largest building, which is closest in this picture is the world famous Arlington Hotel.

1050580bv2.jpg

Beautiful.

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Goddard Hotel Destroyed in Hot Springs

Forgive me if I am puzzled about how a contributing building an an historic district can be casually demolished? The Goddard Hotel may not have been a striking example of architecture, but it was a solid contribution to the historic district. I see that it has been demolished recently.

WMCTV Memphis Channel 5 News

Edited by tombarnes
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Goddard Hotel Destroyed in Hot Springs

Forgive me if I am puzzled about how a contributing building an an historic district can be casually demolished? The Goddard Hotel may not have been a striking example of architecture, but it was a solid contribution to the historic district. I see that it has been demolished recently.

WMCTV Memphis Channel 5 News

Hmmm...I wonder which hotel that was. I remember walking by a number of hotels when I've visited there. But that name isn't really standing out to me.

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A few things on the way to the spa city:

- Free-standing Chick-Fil-A ~ Cornerstone Blvd.

- Staybridge Suites ~ Hwy. 7 & South Ave.

- Candlewood Suites ~ Central Ave.

- Sprint Store ~ Central Ave. (It's about time)

Free standing? That's great.

Edited by johnnydr87
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Does anyone besides me feel like Hot Springs has been a career underachiever as a tourist city?

I mean you have a lot to do - nice recreational lakes, scores of historical buildings, beautiful mountain scenery, a racetrack, and a second tier amusement park.

I guess my question is why hasn't Hot Springs ever become a more significant tourist destination? Of all places, why did Branson develop into what it has while Hot Springs with every advantage was passed by? Has the state of Arkansas and the region (including LR) done enough to promote the area?

I'd like to see more secondary tourist alternatives like the Ripley's Museum, etc. Most importantly, there has been a lack of upscale hotels. The Arlington certainly qualifies but the lack resorts and most of the hotels on Central fall into the moderate to low income tier. The shopping, aside from some nice antique and art galleries downtown is decidedly mediocre. Hot Springs Mall doesn't have much. Most visitors are largely middle class. What could Hot Springs do to better appeal to middle to upper income people for vacations and for retirement?

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Does anyone besides me feel like Hot Springs has been a career underachiever as a tourist city?

I mean you have a lot to do - nice recreational lakes, scores of historical buildings, beautiful mountain scenery, a racetrack, and a second tier amusement park.

I guess my question is why hasn't Hot Springs ever become a more significant tourist destination? Of all places, why did Branson develop into what it has while Hot Springs with every advantage was passed by? Has the state of Arkansas and the region (including LR) done enough to promote the area?

I'd like to see more secondary tourist alternatives like the Ripley's Museum, etc. Most importantly, there has been a lack of upscale hotels. The Arlington certainly qualifies but the lack resorts and most of the hotels on Central fall into the moderate to low income tier. The shopping, aside from some nice antique and art galleries downtown is decidedly mediocre. Hot Springs Mall doesn't have much. Most visitors are largely middle class. What could Hot Springs do to better appeal to middle to upper income people for vacations and for retirement?

I agree. The Wax Museum and theaters are a start... very much like Branson, but only on a much smaller scale.

This weekend while I was there, they were having a huge party downtown for the 175th birthday of Hot Springs National Park, and the city was sooooo alive and hopping! There was also a large Corvette rally and a bike rally. There were Vettes and bikes EVERYWHERE. Traffic was horrendous... moreso than normal... but there was such an exciting feel in the air that I seriously gave living there a thought. :) Not that I would... but the thought crossed my mind.

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I agree. The Wax Museum and theaters are a start... very much like Branson, but only on a much smaller scale.

This weekend while I was there, they were having a huge party downtown for the 175th birthday of Hot Springs National Park, and the city was sooooo alive and hopping! There was also a large Corvette rally and a bike rally. There were Vettes and bikes EVERYWHERE. Traffic was horrendous... moreso than normal... but there was such an exciting feel in the air that I seriously gave living there a thought. :) Not that I would... but the thought crossed my mind.

It's very much a regional vacation destination. People in Arkansas, DFW, and North Louisiana love it but many outside of the immediate region have never been there and don't know much about it. I think we need more attractions to pull those people in.

It also wouldn't hurt to have better air connections. A municipal airport closer to what Ft Smith has with a few daily flights to DFW would be a start.

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It's very much a regional vacation destination. People in Arkansas, DFW, and North Louisiana love it but many outside of the immediate region have never been there and don't know much about it. I think we need more attractions to pull those people in.

It also wouldn't hurt to have better air connections. A municipal airport closer to what Ft Smith has with a few daily flights to DFW would be a start.

The Hot Springs airport flies to Dallas daily.

I just used priceline and a round trip costs $187.

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The Hot Springs airport flies to Dallas daily.

I just used priceline and a round trip costs $187.

Mesa Air apparently flies a cropduster daily from Hot Springs to DFW, KC, and Harrison (don't get that one).

I meant service by mainstream airlines on a regular basis. For instance, even Hilton Head has regular service by US Airways via Charlotte with flights about every 2 hours.

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Mesa Air apparently flies a cropduster daily from Hot Springs to DFW, KC, and Harrison (don't get that one).

I meant service by mainstream airlines on a regular basis. For instance, even Hilton Head has regular service by US Airways via Charlotte with flights about every 2 hours.

Harrison is the ultimate destination of the Dallas flights. It stops at Hot Springs en route.

There were a handful of people at ASMSA who used the Harrison flight to fly back home during holidays. Saves a solid 3 hours.

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