Top 2025 Fort Smith metro stories include consent decree tax plan, UAFS fundraiser, and Mercy expansion

Approval of a $360 million tax plan to address mandated Fort Smith sewer system repairs, a record-setting University of Arkansas at Fort Smith fundraising campaign, and progress on Interstate 49 were among the region’s top stories in 2025.

Other key events in the year included completed work and a new expansion at Mercy Fort Smith, the closing of a popular downtown Fort Smith restaurant, and controversy surrounding the Parrot Island Waterpark.

Following are summaries of the top 10 metro stories, and a shorter summary of a few other notable stories during the year.

• Consent decree tax plan approved
Fort Smith voters on May 13 approved by a wide margin a sales tax reallocation plan to provide $360 million over 30 years to fund federally-mandated sewer system work. The vote potentially puts a frustrating and costly federal consent decree on a path to completion.

The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Feb. 21 approved a sales tax reallocation plan to fund $360 million of federally-mandated sewer system improvements. Voters were asked to vote for or against each of the three items. All three items needed voter approval before the plan could be implemented.
• Reallocation of a 0.75% sales tax first approved by voters in 2022 to pay for consent decree work and to pay bonds, with 0.125% used for the Fort Smith Police Department
• Renewing the 1% street tax but reallocating 0.625% for streets, bridges and drainage work, with the remainder of the tax to fund consent decree work and bonds
• Approval of the authorization to use the tax revenue to issue bonds to pay for the work.

Reallocation of the 0.75% received 2,381 votes for (64.58%), and 1,306 votes against (35.42%). Renewing the 1% street tax with noted changes received 2,361 votes for (64.21%), and 1,316 votes against (35.79%). The vote to approve authorization of bonds to be funded by the sales tax revenue received 2,443 votes for (66.35%), and 1,239 votes against (33.65%).

After decades of failing to maintain the sewer system, officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice filed a consent decree in 2014 with the City of Fort Smith that required certain improvements to the city’s sewer system. While estimates vary, the consensus estimate is that the total cost could approach $800 million. The total for the work, including prior to 2015, is around $200 million.

• UAFS unveils ‘Intrepid Ambition’ campaign
The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (UAFS) on April 2 announced an $85 million “Intrepid Ambition” campaign, which is the largest fundraising initiative in the institution’s history.

The campaign is designed to reshape access to education, elevate academic excellence, and power economic development in the Fort Smith metro, according to UAFS. UAFS Chancellor Dr. Terisa Riley said campaign funds will be used to support the three core priorities of students, people, and community. Specific plans include helping remove financial barriers for students, better pay and support for faculty and staff, and strengthening regional partnerships.

Windgate Foundation, ABB, First National Bank of Fort Smith, Citizens Bank & Trust, and more than 30 individuals made major gifts during the private phase, according to UAFS. As of Dec. 17, the campaign amount was $77.384 million, up 13% compared with the amount disclosed on April 2. The campaign will need just over $7.6 million by 2028 to reach the goal.

• Interstate 49 river bridge, route survey work
Several hundred people gathered in Barling on Aug. 22 to ceremonially break ground on an almost $300 million section of Interstate 49.

The 3.1-mile project primarily includes a bridge across the Arkansas River, and is the first of four projects needed to build the almost 14-mile segment between Barling and the I-49 and I-40 interchange near Alma. ARDOT estimates the cost of the total 14-mile project at $1.3 billion. This job is estimated to be complete by early 2029, according to ARDOT.

Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) Director Jared Wiley said 154 miles of the route remain to be built in Arkansas, with around 140 of those miles between Fort Smith and Texarkana. In September, ARDOT confirmed that employees and consultants will begin work to “obtain more detailed information” about the proposed Interstate 49 route between the Fort Smith area and Y City in Scott County.

ARDOT said they plan to have the survey work finished by the end of 2026, and the survey cost range is estimated between $3 million and $5 million. ARDOT told Talk Business & Politics that the cost to build the interstate section from Fort Smith to Y City is estimated between $1.5 billion and $2 billion.

• Mercy Fort Smith completes most of major work, announces cancer center
Officials with St. Louis-based Mercy and Mercy Fort Smith marked the opening of most of a significant Fort Smith hospital expansion on May 2.

Mercy began work on the main Fort Smith hospital in February 2022. The $186 million project expands the emergency department from 29 to 50 rooms, with ICU beds rising from 36 to 64. The new ER will allow for about 25,000 more patient visits per year and include “special considerations for infectious disease and behavioral health patients.”

Also, Mercy Fort Smith and Cherokee Nation officials gathered Aug. 8 at a ceremonial groundbreaking for the estimated $41 million cancer center that will be attached to the hospital’s existing area for cancer services in Fort Smith. Cherokee Nation donated $8 million toward the project.

Amy Fore, vice president of patient services for Mercy Arkansas Communities, said the new center will include 20,000 square feet of added space and the renovation of 15,000 square feet of existing space. She said the new space should be fully open to patients by early 2027.

• Bass Pro Shops announces Fort Smith location
Springfield, Mo.-based Bass Pro Shops announced in early February it would expand in Fort Smith at a site off Rogers Avenue and along Interstate 540 where the former Best Buy building is located.

The Outpost stores are smaller than the Outdoor World locations and have a cabin or cottage theme. The stores include aquariums, other water features, and murals of scenes local to each store. They also include boat sales and trophy fish and wildlife mounts.

The company declined to say how much the new store would cost. The city of Fort Smith issued in June a building permit for $20 million for building construction. That amount does not cover the cost of furnishings and equipment.

According to information from the city, the existing 35,484-square-foot building will expand to 68,739 square feet. When first announced, the company indicated a possible opening in the first quarter of 2026. The company has said it will employ more than 100 at the store.

• Bass Reeves trail funding uncertainty
An almost $25 million trail project was awarded by the federal government in early January, but funding for the project was halted by executive order when President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January.

The city of Fort Smith was awarded a $24.987 million federal grant to build almost 10 miles of new trails as part of the Bass Reeves Legacy Loop Greenway Initiative. The grant did not require any city matching funds. Funding came from the Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure for Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The city first applied for the grant in early 2024, but it was rejected.

The project is a 14-mile greenway loop with new and existing trails. The loop includes 9.3 miles of new trails giving a route to schools, parks, jobs, medical care and essential services. The city has said that 20% of Fort Smith residents will live within a half mile of the loop. The loop would connect eight schools.

It remains unclear if the funding will be restored.

“My understanding is that the funding remains allocated for a trail/greenway construction project; however, we have not received a grant agreement or any federal funds to date,” noted Josh Buchfink, Fort Smith’s public relations manager.

• Proposed Franklin County prison politics
Community and legislative leaders continue to push back against a plan by Gov. Sarah Sanders and the Arkansas Department of Corrections to build a large state prison north of Charleston in Franklin County. Gov. Sanders announced Oct. 31, 2024, that the state had purchased land north of Charleston to build the prison. The cost for the 815 acres was $2.9 million.

The Arkansas Senate failed to advance a funding bill for a new state prison late in the recent regular session. The $750 million funding measure failed five times to get a 75% vote from senators.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents met with Joe Profiri, a senior consultant to Gov. Sanders, at the proposed prison site in September to discuss its use as a federal immigration detention location.

Also, state officials have struggled to secure a meaningful water supply for the prison. State officials also met with city of Fort Smith officials April 4 to talk about Fort Smith supplying water to the prison. A follow up meeting set for July 29 was cancelled. A June 2025 report from Hawkins-Weir Engineers indicated that the “Fort Smith water system cannot adequately supply the proposed correctional facility during periods of maximum day water demand.”

• ArcBest leadership changes
ArcBest Chair and CEO Judy McReynolds will retire as CEO at the end of 2025, ending 28 years as a company employee, including the past 15 as its top executive. She will remain as board chair. Seth Runser, ArcBest president, will add CEO to his plate on Jan. 1, 2026. The Fort Smith-based shipping and logistics company announced the changes July 17.

McReynolds in 2010 was named ArcBest president and CEO, and in 2016 she was elected board chair. She moved to ArcBest chair and CEO in August 2024. She is the only member of the company’s senior management who serves on the board. During her tenure, the company’s revenue more than doubled, and operating income grew to nearly $300 million annually.

Also, Mac Pinkerton was hired to be chief operating officer of the logistics subsidiary at ArcBest. The transportation industry veteran is set to begin in the new role on Jan. 5, 2026. The company also named Brian Nachtigall as general manager of its Vaux Vision effort.

In January, the company announced several management changes. Eddie Sorg, previously chief operating officer of asset-light logistics, will be the chief commercial officer. Christopher Adkins, who was vice president of yield strategy and management, will be the chief strategy officer.

Founded in 1923, ArcBest has around 14,000 employees at 250 locations.

• Parrot Island Waterpark controversy
Water slides that initially were to cost the city of Fort Smith $4.2 million for acquisition and installation could now cost more than $6.3 million.

Acting Fort Smith City Administrator Jeff Dingman told the board Oct. 21 that the low bid to install the slides was $2.8 million, which would push the total cost to acquire, assemble, and install the slides to around $6.35 million, well beyond the board-approved budget of $4.2 million. The city has already spent $3.55 million to acquire the slides and to prep them for installation.

Directors Christina Catsavis and George Catsavis have called for the slides to be sold and recover as much money as possible. Director Kevin Settle is advocating for the city to find a way to pay the added cost and install the slides. Sebastian County officials, who opposed funding for the slides, recently pushed to move control of the waterpark to the city.

The Fort Smith board of directors delayed action on taking full control of the waterpark, and it remains uncertain what will happen with the water slides.

The waterpark was opened in 2015 at Ben Geren Regional Park, which is owned by the county, and its initial construction was shared jointly by the county and the city. Grand Prairie, Texas-based American Resort Management has managed the waterpark since it opened in 2015.

• Historic and popular Taliano’s restaurant closes
The iconic Taliano’s closed in May when the Caldarera family decided to exit the restaurant business. The restaurant is in the renovated Sparks Mansion built in 1887, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Tom Caldarera Jr., opened Taliano’s Italian Restaurant at 14th and B streets in downtown Fort Smith with partner Jim Cadelli in 1970. Tom, who was the active owner and manager for many years, died in early 2021. Joe Caldarera, his son, managed the business until it closed.

Joe Caldarera said the decision to close was tough, and “it was a process” that was discussed for a few years among the Caldarera siblings. Caldarera said “it wasn’t any one thing” resulting in the ultimate decision to close the Italian restaurant billed as Fort Smith’s oldest family-owned restaurant. He said it has become more expensive and more difficult in recent years to operate a restaurant.

Building contents and adjacent property were sold during an Oct. 9 auction. Fort Smith attorney Kevin Hickey has acquired the historic Sparks mansion building and has plans to open it in March 2026 as the Magnolia Social House that would be open to “special occasions.”

OTHER TOP STORIES
Following are other notable stories in 2025.
• Foreign pilot training center
Progress continued in 2025 to build and expand operations of the foreign pilot training center in Fort Smith. Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith was selected in March 2023 by the U.S. Air Force to be the long-term pilot training center supporting F-35 fighter planes purchased by countries participating in the Foreign Military Sales program.

The base will also house and provide training support for Republic of Singapore F-16s. Part of the progress included approval by the U.S. Department of State of an estimated spend of $353 million to build facilities at Ebbing for the government of Singapore.

• Internal auditor misstep
The Fort Smith Board of Directors voted during a special meeting on Aug. 12 to hire Amanda Strange as the city’s next internal auditor. The position had been vacant since April 1, 2024.

The director of internal audit is only one of two top city jobs directly hired by the board, with the other being the city administrator. The board in April was forced to reverse its decision to hire Rebecca Cowan as internal auditor when it was discovered she faced felony charges.

• Special election finally set for Senate District 26
Early voting in the special election for Senate District 26 is set to begin Dec. 30, with the only early voting site in Sebastian County to be at the county’s EMS training center in Greenwood. The special election follows the Sept. 2 passing of Sen. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, who held the District 26 seat. The primary election for the race will be held Jan. 6, with March 3 set as the special election. If needed, a primary runoff election is set for Feb. 3.

The special election schedule was set when Gov. Sarah Sanders was forced by a court order to hold an election before the start of the Arkansas Legislature’s fiscal session which begins April 8. Pre-session budget hearings begin March 4.

Senate District 26 includes parts of Franklin, Johnson, Logan and Sebastian counties. Towns in the large legislative district include Barling, Booneville, Charleston, Clarksville, Greenwood, Lamar, Lavaca, Ozark, and Paris.

• No Fort Smith city administrator hire
The Fort Smith Board of Directors did not take action to hire a city administrator during 2025. The board fired Carl Geffken as city administrator in December 2024. Deputy City Administrator Jeff Dingman was named acting city administrator following Geffken’s dismissal and continues in that role. Dingman, who was on the short list of candidates when Geffken was hired in 2016, has again applied for the job.

The board in early December narrowed down the list of applicants to four, including Dingman. No search firm was used in the process to seek applicants, and some board members have said they are open to using a search firm if they are not comfortable with hiring from the short list.

• Adelaide Hall to be rebuilt
Construction to rebuild what was once the Bricktown Brewery restaurant on Garrison Avenue in downtown Fort Smith is set to begin in January, according to Rick Griffin, manager of Fort Smith-based Griffin Properties.

The city of Fort Smith on Nov. 18 issued a building permit valued at $2.88 million for construction of a 14,036-square-foot building at 318 Garrison Ave. Griffin Construction is the contractor. Adelaide Hall, the historic building which housed Oklahoma City-based Bricktown Brewery, had to be demolished following a Nov. 6, 2024, fire. Built by William Meade Fishback in 1871, the building was the second oldest building on the downtown avenue.

Link here to the list of top 2024 stories.