Fort Smith Works, And It Can Also Work For You (OPINION)

In the early 1800s, adventurous people were moving west.

Along the Arkansas River, in the foothills of the Ozarks, many settled at Fort Smith. They were forward thinking. They were risk takers. They had no crystal ball and no guarantees, but they believed in the future.

Today, those people are called entrepreneurs. If you have an independent spirit, look to the border and consider how your business could flourish here: Consider Fort Smith.

Too often, business owners and entrepreneurs looking to relocate, expand or start their company jump immediately toward Northwest Arkansas, central Arkansas or even another state.

But maybe there’s another option to consider. What comes to mind when you think of Fort Smith?

You may only know it as a western Arkansas city with a colorful frontier past. But there’s a lot more to Fort Smith than that. The second largest city in the state, Fort Smith is a great place to live, play, and work … and it can work for you.

Expanding your business? Ready to start a new venture? There are several reasons to think outside the box and consider Fort Smith.

Location: Located on Interstate 40 and Interstate 49, Fort Smith has easy access to excellent truck routes and the Arkansas River. It’s one hour from Fayetteville, 1.5 hours from Bentonville, two hours from Tulsa, 2.5 hours from Little Rock, three hours to Oklahoma City, four hours to Kansas City, five hours to Dallas, five hours to Memphis — you get the point. Fort Smith sits at the center of the region’s transportation hub.

Infrastructure: The city has invested heavily in water and sewer systems, public landfill, and roads. This infrastructure is in place to support your business right now, not years from now.

Property: Fort Smith has an attractive list of affordable properties available and ready for occupancy for manufacturing, distribution and retail.

Low Cost of Living: Forbes magazine recently named Fort Smith as the best city in America for a low cost of living, beating out well-known locations across the country.

Work Force: The employee base in Fort Smith is available, diversified and robust. You’ll find well-trained and experienced personnel for manufacturing, energy-related services, health care, as well as technology positions. In fact, Fort Smith was highlighted by Forbes for its number of high-paying tech jobs.

Education Support: The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith is aggressive about providing specific education needs required by area businesses. Health, education and technology are examples of curriculums that have been expanded at UAFS to meet the needs of area employers.

UAFS makes a point to connect with existing, expanding and new businesses and tailor solutions unique to the need.

Entertainment: Area residents enjoy the Fort Smith Symphony, touring Broadway productions, UAFS and community theatres, to name just a few. There is a year-round calendar of live performances and vibrant cultural life in Fort Smith.

Business owners, take note. There’s a lot going on in this border town. Fort Smith has been selected as the site for the future U.S. Marshals Museum. The city’s revitalized historic downtown continues to attract investors. An osteopathic medical school is being planned.

ArcBest (formerly Arkansas Best Corp.) is building a new corporate headquarters, and several manufacturers have announced expansions. Just recently, the city of Fort Smith was named the top performing of 16 Arkansas cities measured by an economic index created by Arkansas Tech University.

Put Fort Smith on your radar. I invite you to spend an afternoon here on behalf of your business. You’ll like what you see.

The ingredients for your success are right here, right now. 

Kent Blochberger is a real estate investor, businessman and resident in Fort Smith. He can be reached by email at [email protected].