New director, branding coming to 64.6 Downtown

There are changes coming to 64.6 Downtown with new leadership set to take over in the coming months. 64.6 Executive Director Talicia Richardson plans to step down to open a private mental health practice in Fort Smith.

Amanda Hagar will be the next 64.6 director. Richardson introduced Hager at the Central Business Improvement District (CBID) board of commissioners meeting Thursday (July 18), saying they would be seeing more of her in months to come.

Hager is a native of the Fort Smith area and according to 64.6 Downtown has “a deep love of downtown Fort Smith.” She previously worked at KHBS Channel 5 and brings “a decade of media expertise and a knack for creative content to 64.6 Downtown.” Hager moved from Fort Smith about five years ago, Richardson said, but recently moved back.

“She is the go-to for building strong relationships and problem solving with flair,” according to 64.6 Downtown.

Richardson said Thursday Hager would be handling 64.6’s “content roll-out rebranding” that will begin Monday (July 22). There has been no word yet what the rebranding will include, but the 64.6 website now says “Welcome to Main Street Fort Smith.”

“Main Street Fort Smith is a nonprofit committed to creating vibrant spaces in downtown Fort Smith through business development, arts and culture, special events, and the promotion of attractive amenities to accelerate development of diverse commerce,” the website states. “We are the conductor at the intersection where the arts, recreation, entertainment, and lifestyle collide to create a vibrant downtown.”

64.6 Downtown, the organization responsible for the Unexpected Project, Invest Fort Smith summits and the Levitt AMP free music concert series in the Fort Smith River Park, succeeded in putting Fort Smith on the roster of Main Street communities in Arkansas in 2020.

Fort Smith was one of the initial cities that started the Main Street program in Arkansas, Richardson said at the time.

The city was part of Main Street as a Downtown Network Community since 2007, and worked toward the goals of becoming a Main Street program, which means focusing on the areas set by the National Main Street: economic vitality, design, promotion, and organization, for a number of years, she said.

Main Street Arkansas is a program within the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP). It was established in 1984 to help spark life into Arkansas’ traditionally commercial areas. The program works with “community members committed to revitalizing and preserving downtowns across” the state. At the state level, Main Street Arkansas offers consultation services including interior and exterior design help, small business advice and grant opportunities to its members.