Chamber Chairman Hopes Others Follow Tysons Lead

Tyson Foods Inc. recently announced a significant commitment to the continuing development plan to revitalize downtown Springdale.

First Security Bank president Mike Morgenthaler hopes it’s the start of a domino effect.

“To see a company like Tyson Foods commit to put people on the ground downtown, people who are going to be there all day, we hope that is a catalyst for other businesses to see this is for real,” said Morgenthaler, chairman of the Springdale Chamber of Commerce executive committee. “This certainly helps our ongoing efforts to provide more opportunities for business development.”

At the chamber’s annual meeting Jan. 23 at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center, Tyson president and CEO Donnie Smith announced the company was donating $1 million to the Downtown Springdale Alliance, the nonprofit group working closely with the chamber to revitalize downtown by developing infrastructure and green space.

Additionally, Smith revealed renovation plans for a 28,000-SF building Tyson owns at 516 E. Emma Ave., built in the 1930s as a terminal for Jones Trucking Lines.

It will be the new location for Tyson’s employment center and company store (both now housed in Lowell), and also house the company’s records management group.

Renovation of the Tyson Foods JTL Building should be finished by late summer, and approximately 25 people will work there.