Springdale replacing Fayetteville?

[bigboyz05]

Springdale went from 29,941 in 1990 to 60,096 today. Fayetteville went from 42,099 to 66,655 in that period. Rogers went from 24,692 to 48,353. Bentonville went from 11,257 to 29,538.

Based on the above figures it looks like Springdale will soon become the largest city in NWA. What do you think?

[Mith242]

Springdale went from 29,941 in 1990 to 60,096 today. Fayetteville went from 42,099 to 66,655 in that period. Rogers went from 24,692 to 48,353. Bentonville went from 11,257 to 29,538.

Based on the above figures it looks like Springdale will soon become the largest city in NWA. What do you think?

[strmchsr77]

Springdale is catching up with Fayetteville but don't look for it to surpass Fayetteville for quite sometime. If it ever does. The University is currently in a major growth mode and so the student population is going to go from the current 18000+ to 23000+ over the next 5 years. Also there seems to be dozens of large scale projects going on in Fayetteville but only a handful in Springdale. So I would expect Fayetteville to continue to be the largest city for at least the next 10-20 years, hopefully more.

[CellarDoor135]

Springdale is catching up with Fayetteville but don't look for it to surpass Fayetteville for quite sometime. If it ever does. The University is currently in a major growth mode and so the student population is going to go from the current 18000+ to 23000+ over the next 5 years. Also there seems to be dozens of large scale projects going on in Fayetteville but only a handful in Springdale. So I would expect Fayetteville to continue to be the largest city for at least the next 10-20 years, hopefully more.

[OnDickson]

I think Springdale will surpass Fayetteville sooner than most may think. The Hispanics will surely take care of that. But, that's not a bad thing. Fayetteville, as mentioned, is going more for the slow controlled growth than rapid sprawl. Biggest is very rarely best.

What matters is that Fayetteville will never be surpassed in quality of life. What would be nice is if Fayetteville would adopt this green belt around city limits and restrict outward growth for good. We would never be the largest by numbers. But, who cares, numbers mean squat, look at Ft. Smith it's the 2nd largest city in Arkansas and need I say more! Fayetteville needs to take a long look at Boulder Colorado. Obviously apples and oranges but alot could be learned.

[Aporkalypse]

I think Springdale will surpass Fayetteville sooner than most may think. The Hispanics will surely take care of that. But, that's not a bad thing. Fayetteville, as mentioned, is going more for the slow controlled growth than rapid sprawl. Biggest is very rarely best.

What matters is that Fayetteville will never be surpassed in quality of life. What would be nice is if Fayetteville would adopt this green belt around city limits and restrict outward growth for good. We would never be the largest by numbers. But, who cares, numbers mean squat, look at Ft. Smith it's the 2nd largest city in Arkansas and need I say more! Fayetteville needs to take a long look at Boulder Colorado. Obviously apples and oranges but alot could be learned.

[Mith242]

Springdale is catching up with Fayetteville but don't look for it to surpass Fayetteville for quite sometime. If it ever does. The University is currently in a major growth mode and so the student population is going to go from the current 18000+ to 23000+ over the next 5 years. Also there seems to be dozens of large scale projects going on in Fayetteville but only a handful in Springdale. So I would expect Fayetteville to continue to be the largest city for at least the next 10-20 years, hopefully more.

[Mith242]

I think Springdale will surpass Fayetteville sooner than most may think. The Hispanics will surely take care of that. But, that's not a bad thing. Fayetteville, as mentioned, is going more for the slow controlled growth than rapid sprawl. Biggest is very rarely best.

What matters is that Fayetteville will never be surpassed in quality of life. What would be nice is if Fayetteville would adopt this green belt around city limits and restrict outward growth for good. We would never be the largest by numbers. But, who cares, numbers mean squat, look at Ft. Smith it's the 2nd largest city in Arkansas and need I say more! Fayetteville needs to take a long look at Boulder Colorado. Obviously apples and oranges but alot could be learned.

[mcheiss]

I think Springdale will surpass Fayetteville sooner than most may think. The Hispanics will surely take care of that. But, that's not a bad thing. Fayetteville, as mentioned, is going more for the slow controlled growth than rapid sprawl. Biggest is very rarely best.

What matters is that Fayetteville will never be surpassed in quality of life. What would be nice is if Fayetteville would adopt this green belt around city limits and restrict outward growth for good. We would never be the largest by numbers. But, who cares, numbers mean squat, look at Ft. Smith it's the 2nd largest city in Arkansas and need I say more! Fayetteville needs to take a long look at Boulder Colorado. Obviously apples and oranges but alot could be learned.

[cocothief]

I agree. I worry that abundant cheap housing and influx of Hispanics as well as odd zoning practices that leave the town looking rather unattractive will have the town losing population in 10-15 years but I wouldn't be surprised if it passes Fayetteville for a while first. I think Springdale will be the first (and probably only) NWA city to eventually experience population decline.

[Mith242]

To be honest I think all the NWA cities even Fayetteville have gone through phases where they built things just to have them and didn't think too much of the consequences. Luckily Fayetteville didn't stay in that phase for very long. But I think all the other NWA cities have done this to a certain degree because they weren't used to having so much being done in their cities. Fayetteville had always been the center of attention for the area.

[masons_dad1]

Here's my 2 cents worth.

I think Springdale is a great city for working class folks who want to reach the American Dream. Affordable housing and a respectable amount of recreational amenities, enhanced by a top-notch medical center and good schools has created a "quality of life" unsurpassed by any other core city in NWA. I guess it's a matter of opinion, but I believe homeownership is at the top of the "quality of life" list and Springdale has the highest rate of homeownership in NWA. They may be cheap homes that aren't increasing in value by much, but to the owners they're priceless.

So let Fayetteville and Rogers build their million dollar condos and their upscale shopping malls and let Springdale continue to build the American Dream for hard working American families.

[Mith242]

I guess I should say I'm not trying to slam Springdale. I do feel a bit bad how it tends to be represented. But at the moment it really seems to be more of a bedroom community. Except for the Jones Center there's not a lot of entertainment options in Springdale. I think often times people there end up going to Fayetteville or Rogers to go out to eat or shop. But once the baseball park is built and the minor league team shows up I think that could be a stepping stone for the city to get more things going.

[mcheiss]

I still say that Wagon Wheel Road has possibilities of becoming something grand for the city.

[cocothief]

I still say that Wagon Wheel Road has possibilities of becoming something grand for the city.

[zman9810]

Springdale's population should surpass Fayetteville's within a few years if growth rates continue as is. The newly annexed areas in SE and far NW Springdale already have large housing developments planned. The NW area's houses are to be "affordable housing" in the less than $200,000 range, which is still in great demand in NWA.

The city has made some good moves in the past few years. Starting a road bond program, expanding sewer service, the minor league ballpark and enacting some building design standards are steps in the right direction. On the other hand, it's made some mistakes such as letting Sam's Club get away because the religious leaders and liquor monopoly (now that's a strange alliance) were against letting it sell liquor. Sometimes the city seems that for every 2 steps forward it takes it's 1 1/2 steps back. Another example would be letting a developer (and current alderman) put large red sheet metal barns across the street from the "Welcome to Springdale" sign at the south entrance to town on S. Thompson. That one still has me stratching my head.

Springdale is still dominated by a few large business interests and religious leaders that have their own agendas and those agendas don't always have the overall community good at heart. As the city grows those group's influence will hopefully diminish and leaders that want to improve the city as a whole will step forward.

[mcheiss]

Springdale is still dominated by a few large business interests and religious leaders that have their own agendas and those agendas don't always have the overall community good at heart. As the city grows those group's influence will hopefully diminish and leaders that want to improve the city as a whole will step forward.

[Mith242]

I've wondered if Springdale is going to hit some infrastructure problems in the near future though. It could end up eventually slowing down some growth. But of course it could happen after it's passed Fayetteville. But Fayetteville seems to be picking up a bit too. Maybe it's just me but it seems like more subdivisions are going in especially over on the west side.

[edensfall]

Ill tell you guys one thing, if it wasnt for Pinnacle Hills, Rogers would still look exactly like Springdale, except for the fact that Rogers did a better job with their downtown area, and Springdale is STILL the highest paid school district in Arkansas.

[Mith242]

Ill tell you guys one thing, if it wasnt for Pinnacle Hills, Rogers would still look exactly like Springdale, except for the fact that Rogers did a better job with their downtown area, and Springdale is STILL the highest paid school district in Arkansas.

[masons_dad1]

Ill tell you guys one thing, if it wasnt for Pinnacle Hills, Rogers would still look exactly like Springdale, except for the fact that Rogers did a better job with their downtown area, and Springdale is STILL the highest paid school district in Arkansas.

[mcheiss]

One advantage Rogers has had over Springdale are more exits on I-540. Springdale wasn't given any favors when it ended up with only two exits onto I-540. Although the 412 bypass could help change that.

[zman9810]

One advantage Rogers has had over Springdale are more exits on I-540. Springdale wasn't given any favors when it ended up with only two exits onto I-540. Although the 412 bypass could help change that.

[mcheiss]

The Watkins Ave. overpass doesn't fit the federal requirement that exits be one mile apart. The 412 exit is too close. That's also why the Perry Road exit was moved south a little.

[Mith242]

I think I-540 in our area needs to be updated to am 'urban interstate'. But I believe then you can have exits less than a mile from each other. I think it also drops the speed limit down a bit. I guess I need itk to explain this. He has a much better idea about all of this than I do.