Tourism / Heritage

Chow franchise expands in Northeast Arkansas

Michael Tolson was earning a living as a real estate professional in New York and he never dreamed he would return to the restaurant business. He had a problem, however….

Iconic roundhouse building destroyed in Jonesboro

Flames may have wiped away city leaders’ hopes of an interactive museum in downtown Jonesboro. A fire Saturday afternoon destroyed the roundhouse, an iconic building on Church Street the city…

Cavanaugh Park dedicated, softball field named after ‘Ms. OG&E’

Cavanaugh Elementary School Principal Hank Needham celebrated the realization of a dream when the school hosted its dedication ceremony for Cavanaugh Park Tuesday (Nov. 20) afternoon. The park, located across…

CBID approves building demolition, hears about Small Business Saturday

A Garrison Avenue building constructed around 1900 is scheduled for the wrecking ball. The Fort Smith Central Business Improvement District (CBID) gave George Catsavis, acting as an agent for the…

Bill Neumeier, downtown Fort Smith business owner, music promoter, has died (Updated)

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with a statement from the Neumeier family. Bill Neumeier, a longtime downtown Fort Smith restaurant owner and promoter who helped launch the Peacemaker…

Oaklawn to build $100 million gaming, hotel complex, ready by early 2020

Less than two weeks after Arkansas voters approved a constitutional amendment to expand casino gambling in Arkansas, Oaklawn Racing and Gaming on Monday (Nov. 19) announced plans for a $100…

XNA marks 20 years in business, connects region to the world

In the late 1980s, business leaders Sam Walton, J.B. Hunt and Don Tyson were working to update their 10-year plans, and one of the goals that continued to come up…

Arkansas State University reaches deal with University of Miami

Arkansas State University ended its lawsuit against the University of Miami after a financial agreement was reached in connection to a canceled college football game between the schools slated for…

REVEL restaurant to open in The HUB, employ 15-20

A new dining experience is on its way to Fort Smith. REVEL, an upscale dining venue, is scheduled to open Aug. 1, 2019, in The HUB at Providence in the…

Fort Smith may acquire 330 acres near downtown for trails

The Fort Smith Board of Directors agreed to consider the purchase of 330 acres from Kansas City Southern Railroad Company for soft surface trails. The Board on Tuesday (Nov. 13)…

Gus’s to be newest restaurant in downtown Fort Smith

Garrison Avenue will welcome a new restaurant with the grand opening of Gus’s Bar and Grill Monday (Nov. 12) at 823 Garrison Ave., the former site of Saké Martini &…

Simmons Bank buys naming rights to Verizon Arena for $10.5 million

Verizon Arena announced Friday (Nov. 9) that Simmons Bank has acquired the naming rights to the 18,000 seat multi-purpose civic center located in North Little Rock for $10.5 million. The…

Arkansas voters say ‘yes’ to all three ballot issues

Arkansans strongly backed all three of the constitutional amendments that made this year’s ballot, which were measures requiring voters to show ID at the polls, raise the state minimum wage…

Downtown truck traffic study on agenda for Fort Smith Board meeting

The Fort Smith Board of Directors are set to consider a resolution for a downtown traffic and truck study at the board’s regular meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday (Nov. 6)…

Fayetteville Ale Trail expands by four, launches new website

The Fayetteville Ale Trail added four member breweries to the list of craft beer establishments that make up the self-guided trail across Northwest Arkansas. Crisis Brewing Co. and JBGB, both…

West Memphis could get $200 million hotel and convention center if casino measure passes

If the casino ballot initiative passes in Arkansas on Tuesday (Nov. 6), Delaware North, the parent company of Southland Gaming and Racing, will attempt to build a hotel and convention…

Panel: More could be done to build on momentum in Fort Smith

With attitudes turning positive about the future of Fort Smith, it’s time for regional governments, businesses and organizations to take action to build on the momentum and better insulate the…

Walmart AMP in Rogers announces $13.9 million expansion

Since opening in 2014, the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion (AMP) has been a primary amenity driving Northwest Arkansas’s growing arts and entertainment economy. In the past five years the Walton…

Downtown Fort Smith momentum about hitting ‘doubles and singles’ instead of home runs

Developing downtown Fort Smith is more about hitting “doubles and singles” than home runs, with the area’s future “pretty vibrant, pretty exciting,” according to Bill Hanna, one of three panelists…

Arts integration remains a top priority for UA officials

The integration of arts into curriculum across the University of Arkansas campus has begun, with the first professor being cross-appointed between the Sam M. Walton College of Business and the…