Large retaining wall on Fort Smith hotel project buckles

The recent days of rain likely contributed to the buckling of a large retaining wall that is part of a $5 million hotel construction on Rogers Avenue in Fort Smith.

Lisa and Tim Whitten of Russellville are building the 83-room Best Western Inn & Suites at 6500 Rogers Ave., and also plan to operate it.

The retaining wall began to fall Monday (May 18) with the problem resulting in the closure of a portion of South 65th Street. Deputy City Administrator Ray Gosack said the city is requiring the project contractor and engineer to submit a plan as to how they intend to fix the problem.

“We don’t know what happened. It’s being looked at by the engineers right now. … My guess is that the massive flooding and rain is the problem,” Tim Whitten told The City Wire.

Whitten said work to begin fixing the wall should begin in early June, and will likely include removing “a good portion” of the wall and putting it back up.

The wall repair work will not delay construction on the hotel. The hotel, which also sports a large meeting room and an outdoor heated swimming pool, should open no later than November, Whitten said.

“It’s too early to know that, but everyone in it has insurance on the thing,” Whitten said when asked who would pay for the repair work.