totheskies

So why are we comparing Little Rock to larger cities again??? I'm originally from Benton, but now live in Houston. Granted, there are many advantages to living in a bigger city, but NOTHING in Houston, Dallas or San Antonio is going to compare to the natural beauty that Little Rock metros have. Someone said there's "nothing to do in Little Rock" besides the Clinton library... get a bicycle, hike up Pinnacle mountain, go rafting, or spend a nice evening in the River Market. Bored after doing all that??? Go to Hot Springs!!!! I mean come on... we're talking a small/mid-sized metro here. And IMO, for its size Little Rock is one of the best in the US. And it's nice that people are finally starting to discover it.

I'm still willing to go with Ft. Smith, especially considering the current economic climate. GenY is a completely different ballgame from GenX and the Babyboomers. They have an interest in inner cities and older areas, and don't mind a little "grit" as the trade-off for access to amenities. Springdale's growth model has worked well for most of the aughts, but with the 2008/2009 Recession, suburbs everywhere are in trouble.

double post

I think Jonesboro is well on its way to reaching the 100k mark. Infrastructure is an issue, but not as much as one might think. The city is well-known to those who go/went to college there, and has a good business climate. As mentioned earlier in the thread, Jonesboro is also undergoing some important internal improvements to make it a more livable city for its residents... this will continue to foster a strong growth pool based on regional leadership. From a sociological perspective, Memphis and Jonesboro appeal to different types of people for different reasons, which means Jonesboro will continue to grow from its current population set (those who prefer a mid-sized city with decent jobs, and might be intimidated by a larger city like Memphis). In reference to the next city to reach 100k, most definitely Ft. Smith. It's not growing at the same rate as Fayetteville or Conway, but Ft. Smith is gaining more population within its city limits. Conway has Little Rock, Maumelle, and everything else to compete with, and Fayetteville has to compete with Rogers and Springdale for new residents. Ft. Smith only has Van Buren, so more people are settling in the larger city. Also, NWArkansas is beginning to level off from the ridiculous boom years, and Ft. Smith remains steady in growth.