With some of the fastest-growing metros in the country and a booming business climate, Arkansas is reinventing itself as a “land of opportunity.” Throw in spectacular natural attractions like crystal clear lakes, breathtaking vistas, rolling hills, and rugged peaks, plus Victorian, frontier and Wild West history, and meeting planners can take advantage of a winning combination of lures for groups.
Central Arkansas
The spotlight remains firmly on the state capital of Little Rock, with the opening of the Clinton Presidential Library and continued revitalization of the River Market area, an entertainment district dotted with cafes, attractions, shops, and galleries.
“We continue to work on the historic River Market district, and what we’re seeing now is residential activity in addition to new hotel rooms,” says Dennis Tracy, director of sales and marketing at the Little Rock CVB. “The city has a very compact downtown, with the convention centers, hotels, Clinton library, and River Market district all within a six-block area.”
Little Rock attracts plenty of SMERF groups, and it is also very big with amateur sports events, according to Tracy.
In addition to Alltel Arena, the city has Burns Park, which features soccer, baseball and tennis areas, and the new Big Dam Bridge, popular for bike races. The pedestrian-only bridge opened last September, connecting 15 miles of scenic trails.
While the new library and River Market district are visitor favorites, another growing attraction is Heifer International, an organization devoted to helping those in third-world countries learn self-sufficiency. A re-created global village is available for tours, and the facility has announced plans to add a conference center.
Other developments in progress include several property renovations. The Capital Hotel is currently undergoing a complete renovation and will reopen as the Landmark Hotel later this year, and the Holiday Inn Select completed renovations and reopened this summer as the state’s first Crowne Plaza hotel.
Major group facilities in the area include Alltel Arena; the Statehouse Convention Center, adjacent to The Peabody Little Rock Hotel; and the Robinson Center, adjacent to the Doubletree Hotel Little Rock.
Home to two colleges, the University of Central Arkansas and a top medical center complex, Conway hosts a solid mix of corporate, medical and educational meetings. The city is also undergoing a downtown renewal, according to Chad Russell, vice president of operations with the Conway Chamber of Commerce.
“We’ve just finished another section of streetscaping, and the landmark Halter building is under renovation,” he says.
Future revitalization includes a mixed-use development, attracting more businesses to the downtown area.
Meeting facilities in the area include the Agora Conference and Special Event Center and the Brewer–Hegeman Conference Center, as well as hotels such as the new Hilton Garden Inn Conway.
Northwest/Ozarks
Amid the forested hills and cool, clear lakes of the Ozarks, the four cities that make up the Northwest Arkansas metro area along Interstate 540— Rogers, Bentonville, Fayetteville, and Springdale—are experiencing phenomenal growth. Home to such companies as Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt, the area has become a magnet for corporate business, and the individual towns continue developing their potential as meetings destinations.
Currently, Rogers and Bentonville are experiencing the most development, as hotel properties spring up after last year’s opening of the John Q. Hammons Convention Center.
“We have about 1,600 rooms currently in inventory, and we’re looking at another 1,000 opening between now and next summer,” says Tom Galyon, executive director of the Rogers Arkansas CVB. “The meetings market is a new market for us, and we’re gaining the capacity to handle larger meetings.”
Galyon says several brands are opening prototype lodging facilities in Rogers, including the 127-room Holiday Inn, slated to open next year. Other new properties will include a 100-room Mainstay Suites, due to open next summer; a 155-room Sheraton, slated to open in late fall 2008; and a 130-room aloft property, scheduled to open next spring in the Pinnacle Hills development near the convention center.
“Most of the Fortune 500 companies have offices here because Wal-Mart and Tyson want vendors to be as close as possible,” Galyon says, adding that Rogers and Bentonville are joining forces to lure more meetings to the area.
The strategy of combined resources is very beneficial for planners, according to Kalene Griffith, president of the Bentonville CVB.
“Alone, we’re great cities, but together, we can be even better,” she says.
For unique off-site events, attendees can get their motor running at the Pig Trail Harley-Davidson dealership, or revisit yesteryear at Simple Pleasures, a 1930s-style event center in nearby Bella Vista.
In 2009, the long-awaited Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art will open in Bentonville with a multimillion-dollar art collection in 30,000 square feet of gallery space, along with a 250-seat theater and multipurpose meeting venues, hiking paths, walkways, and gardens.
Meeting facilities in Rogers and Bentonville include the John Q. Hammons Center, with 78,000 square feet of meeting space; the 400-suite Embassy Suites, connected to the center, also offers event space.
Also available are the Hilton Garden Inn Bentonville, the new Best Western Castlerock Inn and Suites, the newly renovated Clarion Hotel and Convention Center, and the new Doubletree Guest Suites Bentonville/Rogers.
Education is the main focus in Fayetteville, according to Allyson Twiggs, director of the Fayetteville Visitors Bureau.
“We have a person on staff that focuses solely on the University of Arkansas and helps them bring in conferences,” she says.
For downtime, attendees often visit Dickson Street, an entertainment district with a hip college atmosphere, while the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks is a new off-site venue that also offers a meeting room.
Group venues in Fayetteville include the Town Center and the University of Arkansas Center for Continuing Education, both located on the downtown square near hotels, restaurants and shops.
The meetings-friendly Cosmopolitan Hotel (formerly the Radisson Fayetteville) is currently undergoing renovations, while a 153-room Marriott Renaissance is slated to open in 2009 with 12,000 square feet of function space.
Located between Rogers and Fayetteville, Springdale sees a mix of corporate and association meetings.
The town is preparing to welcome the area’s first professional sports stadium, Arvest Ballpark, which will be home to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Minor League Baseball team. Opening in April 2008, the ballpark is just the start of new development in Springdale, according to Bill Rogers, vice president of economic development with the Springdale Chamber of Commerce.
“There are plans to build an arena near the baseball stadium,” he says, “and since we’re the closest to the interstate 540/412 intersection, the next major retail development will be here.”
Rogers says bookings have been solid in the past year at Springdale’s Holiday Inn and Northwest Arkansas Convention Center.
Just northeast of Springdale is Eureka Springs, an historic town filled with Victorian architecture, shops, art galleries, and attractions.
A meetings destination in its own right, with more than 2,000 guest rooms in bed-and-breakfast properties, cabins, cottages, and motels, Eureka Springs is often used for off-site events and entertainment. Planners can arrange for a day of spouse activities, including shopping and dining in the historic district, special matinees at local country music shows, or fishing trips along the White River or on Beaver Lake. For a special thrill, attendees can take a ghost tour through the Crescent Hotel, which was featured last year on the Sci-Fi Channel’s Ghost Hunters program.
Meeting facilities in Eureka Springs include the City Auditorium and the Best Western Inn of the Ozarks and Convention Center.
River Valley/Ouachitas
History and natural beauty are the two greatest resources in the River Valley region. Attendees can discover how wild the West was in Fort Smith, or try their luck at Oaklawn Park horse racing track in Hot Springs. Afterward, they can soothe away stress in the thermal baths, which have been a popular diversion since the 1800s.
Known as the state’s top tourist destination, Hot Springs has something for everyone, according to Cindy DeWitt, director of sales for the Hot Springs CVB.
“Garvan Woodland Gardens is an awesome place for casual get-togethers or dinners, and Magic Springs and Crystal Falls [amusement parks] can also host off-site special events for conventions, as well as the Belle of Hot Springs Riverboat,” she says.
The most popular attractions in Hot Springs remain the springs themselves; the thermal waters were such an unusual find that in 1832 Congress designated the area as the country’s first national park. Attendees can still enjoy the famed Hot Springs baths in spas around town.
Horse racing at Oaklawn also draws crowds, and planners can arrange for off-site events at the Oaklawn Jockey Club.
Associations represent the majority of meetings business in town, according to DeWitt.
The main meeting facility is the Hot Springs Convention Center, with 360,000 square feet of event space.
Once the last stop for justice between Arkansas and Indian Territory, Fort Smith is rich with frontier history. At the Fort Smith National Historic Site, visitors can tour the courthouse of “Hangin’” Judge Parker, see the restored gallows, or step into the tiny, dark jail once called “Hell on the Border.” For the ultimate group activity, planners can schedule “night court” in the historic courtroom, with attendees participating in the re-creation of an historic trial, complete with characters in costume.
A new attraction celebrating history and law enforcement will be the U.S. Marshal Museum, slated to break ground in 2008. The museum will be located on the riverfront and should spur new development in the area, according to Elizabeth Naculich, communications and events servicing manager for the Fort Smith CVB.
For a bit of natural history, attendees can take a hike or host a meeting at the new Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center, just a few miles from downtown.
The area’s top group venues include the Fort Smith Convention Center, Holiday Inn City Center and Fifth Seasons Inn.
Timberlands
From Pine Bluff, just a couple hours south of Little Rock, to Texarkana, situated at the state’s southeastern corner, the Timberlands region is thick with lush forests of pine trees and lots of historic attractions—from the lavish Ace of Clubs House, built with the proceeds from a winning poker hand, to the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame in Pine Bluff, which celebrates the accomplishments of native sons Johnny Cash, John Grisham and others.
Meetings of all sizes are welcome in Pine Bluff, according to Sheri Storie, director of sales for the Pine Bluff CVB.
“Our largest ideal group size is up to 2,000 people, although we just hosted a meeting with 4,000 attendees,” she says.
Storie expects more groups to meet in Pine Bluff after renovations are completed by the new owners of the Royal Arkansas Hotel and Suites, which is connected to the Pine Bluff Convention Center. For outdoor events, groups can also use Saracen Landing, located on Lake Saracen.
Texarkana attracts a mix of SMERF and corporate groups, according to Micki Wright, tourism director of the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce. Wright says the city also hosts amateur sports events, such as bowling, baseball and golf.
A popular site for receptions is the Prissy Crissy Ranch, featuring a serene country setting. The Ace of Clubs House, an intricate and noted historic home, is also available for events.
Group facilities in Texarkana include the Four States Fairground and Exhibition Hall.
Delta
With agricultural, natural and musical attractions plentiful in Arkansas’ Delta region, the area’s motto, “Soil ’n’ Soul,” fits like a glove. Visitors can explore nature at Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center in Jonesboro, discover the area’s rich blues heritage at the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, take a cotton gin tour, or sink their teeth into real Southern BBQ at one of several West Memphis eateries.
In West Memphis, exciting off-site events can be held at Southland Greyhound Park, which handles up to 1,000 attendees in a variety of banquet and conference rooms. Groups seeking even more entertainment can opt for the bright lights of Memphis, Tenn., just a 10-minute drive from town.
Facilities in West Memphis include the West Memphis Civic Complex. Group venues in Jonesboro include the 78,000-square-foot Fowler Center and the Arkansas State University Convocation Center.
For More Info
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism 501.682.7777
www.arkansas.com
Bentonville CVB 479.271.9153
www.bentonvilleusa.org
Conway COC 501.327.7788
www.conwayarkcc.org
Delta Byways Tourism Promotion Association 870.972.2803
www.deltabyways.com
Eureka Springs CVB 479.253.7333
www.eurekasprings.org
Fayetteville Visitors Bureau 479.521.5776
www.experiencefayetteville.com
Fort Smith CVB 479.783.8888
www.fortsmith.org
Hot Springs CVB 501.321.2835
www.hotsprings.org
Jonesboro Regional COC 870.932.6691
www.jonesborochamber.org
Little Rock CVB 501.376.4781
www.littlerock.com
Pine Bluff CVB 870.536.7600
www.pinebluffcvb.org
Rogers Arkansas CVB 479.619.3183
www.visitrogersarkansas.com
Springdale COC 479.872.2222
www.springdale.com
Texarkana COC 903.792.7191
www.texarkana.org
West Memphis CVB 870.732.7598
www.westmemphis.org
