RV park to be built between Towson Avenue and Mill Creek in Fort Smith

BusinessFort SmithTourism / Heritage

by Michael Tilley ([email protected]) ago 369 views 

Fort Smith-based Kopa LLC has received city of Fort Smith approval to invest at least $2 million to build a recreational vehicle (RV) site at 3706 Towson Ave., with the development planned to open at the end of 2026.

The Mill Creek RV Park will have 40 RV sites, a few campsites and a pickleball court. The plan was approved unanimously Dec. 2 by the Fort Smith Board of Directors, and was approved unanimously Nov. 10 by the Fort Smith Planning Commission.

Kopa, a partnership between Evan Kohler and Charlie Palmer, plans to use 5.02 acres of the almost 8-acre tract to develop a “well-planned, low-impact development designed to accommodate short-term recreational vehicle users traveling through or working in the Fort Smith area.”

Kohler said the facility will employ two full-time workers when it opens in late 2026. She also said the development is about helping to improve the look of Towson Avenue.

“Look, I’m a Fort Smith girl, and I’m big on the revitalization of Towson Avenue,” Kohler said. “Not only do I think it will be great to build that area up and keep it clean … but we wanted to provide a place for that kind of short-term living, because you know, housing is becoming so unaffordable.”

Plans for the Mill Creek RV Park to be built in Fort Smith.

She said the target market for the RV park includes traveling nurses, construction workers, and retirees. There is a six-month limit for users, which keeps it from becoming permanent housing. Kohler said she and others spent time researching RV sites around the country and talking to RV users before deciding on how best to use the property and design the space.

When it opens, it will be the second such facility built in Fort Smith in recent years. The Riverfront RV Resort on Riverfront Drive near downtown Fort Smith and along the Arkansas River opened in late 2023. The total investment in that 27-acre site, located near the U.S. Marshals Museum, was around $8 million, according to developers.

In addition to 100 RV sites and 10 campsites, the Riverfront site features a gated entry, handicap-accessible bathrooms and showers, wi-fi service, an outdoor playground and exercise area, a swimming pool, dog park playground, coin laundry facility and a general store with convenience items. Other amenities include a horseshoe pit, pickleball courts, a porch-swing conversation area with a fire ring, and a large pavilion with a fireplace and grills.