Event Venue to Open In Centerton in 2016

A new wedding and special events venue is being developed in Benton County.

Amber Gustafson and her husband, Eric Gustafson, are developing a venue known as The Ravington at 293 N. Main St. in Centerton.

The two-story building was built in 1909 and is undergoing a renovation estimated by Gustafson to be around $400,000. The couple bought the property, previously home to Main Street Treasures, on Sept. 17 for $280,000. John Stubbs and Paul and Bonita Stubbs were the sellers.

Arvest Bank of Fayetteville provided financing with a five-year loan of $544,000.

3D Restoration & Contracting of Siloam Springs is leading the renovation efforts.

The Ravington will target entertainment, weddings and receptions, corporate and nonprofit events. With more than 7,100 SF, it will have a capacity for up to 250 people. An additional 2,500 SF will be available in a landscaped courtyard.

Gustafson said the building will be very detailed, featuring exposed brick walls, 18-foot high ceilings, chandeliers and reclaimed wood flooring.

Neither catering nor liquor will be provided by The Ravington. A catering prep area will be available for caterers, and the host will provide the liquor liability.

Gustafson said that, based on competitors’ pricing, the cost for a 12-hour rental at The Ravington will be $7,000 on Saturdays, $4,500 for Fridays and Sundays, and $3,500 for weekdays.

The Gustafsons are both originally from Northwest Arkansas. After spending the last 14 years in Los Angeles, they moved back to the area to be near family and realize a dream of opening their own special events venue.

Amber Gustafson founded her own wedding planning company called Amber Events Inc. in 2007 and planned more than 200 weddings at budgets ranging from $60,000 to more than $250,000.

Eric Gustafson’s background is in furniture design/carpentry, and he will also be involved in the building renovation.