Architect

No, I don't think this market would or could support TWO speciality entertainment venues of this type. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’d put the odds of BOTH opening to be pretty low. My bet would be with Top Golf. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pink and Victoria’s Secret have closed at the Promenade. It appears that both the Park Plaza and McCain locations remain open. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have been told by more than one person that Top Golf was/is interested in Little Rock, and backed off last summer because of the politics about the proposed site (War Memorial). Candidly, this site is arguably better. It's certainly just as visible while also being less controversial.

Cool concept, immediately compromised by a "knock-off" Top Golf. Why not just GO with Top Golf? Sheesh....

Good point...maybe so.

Arkansas Times is reporting that Main Event (now owned by Dave & Busters, but catering to a younger crowd), is coming to Shackleford Crossing. https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2022/04/14/new-entertainment-venue-main-event-coming-to-west-little-rock

I've been to Knoxville recently and really loved it, and totally concur with your observations. However, I noticed one HUGE difference between the two downtowns...the physical area of Little Rock's "downtown core" is MUCH larger than Knoxville's (and this isn't even including NLR/Argenta). Theirs is so much smaller in area, which translates into much higher density. It's also not very "tall" (they don't have many high-rises).

Don't hold your breath that it won't happen...probably just a temporary pause until there's an agreement on a reasonable market price for the land. Also, parking decks are solid infill projects, when done well.

I'm not the biggest fan of Fazoli's, but understand its popularity. I also understand the George's is going to be super nice...huge renovation/addition to the original building. I hate that Cafe Prego closed...one of our favorites, but rumor is that they may carry some of Prego's original recipes. It will have an Italian focus (though George's seems like an odd name for that theme).

I don't disagree with you in principle, but I don't think the last ten years of (relatively) minor demo is the issue...it was more what happened 50 years ago. There's also more potential and recent work in the past 10 years of infill happening downtown than in the 30 years prior, so from a macro perspective (the recent Chick-fil-a fiasco being an exception), I suspect there's been a net GAIN in infill over the past 10 years when you consider all of the new condo towers, hotels, and office infill (in SOMA as an example).

I mean, I'm all for added business (and I like Chick-fil-a), but the real rub for a lot of people with this development is that it is take-out only, no dine in...YET...they mowed down a half block of street edge retail (former Ciao's, as one tenant) so that they could include FORTY (40) parking spaces. Who needs 40 parking spaces for a drive-through/walk-up development?!! All of this in the Urban Use (UU) zone. This city too often just rolls over on its own regulations. [sigh]

I like Lenny’s and Jimmy John’s! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m surprised it’s taken this long, as Little Rock is one of, if not THE biggest market without Porsche. I’ve got to thing that Parker is kicking themselves for not picking them up. But technically, this isn’t Arkansas’ first, as Riverside Motors carried Mercedes, Audi and Porsche forever until MB told them they’d carry MB exclusively, or not at all! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What's really disappointing is that given their Pottery Barn & Williams-Sonoma presence, I had been hoping that they'd ultimately open one of their West Elm stores, which is more modern in style. Sigh. Who knows...maybe they'll reconsider that soon for the Promenade. I'd argue that this is another victim of Little Rocks diffuse retail center development. Midtowne is a tiny destination by almost any measure (even though it's close to Park Plaza, etc.). IF we had one very large, central concentration of national retailers, they'd all benefit from it, in lieu of the small, competing, piece-meal nature of development we've been given.

Oh no!!! Doing a bit of research, I found an article that they planned to close up to 25% of their stores, so it sounds like a corporate-wide reduction of their footprint (or is there any chance they could be moving to the Promenade?).

Surely a COVID delay…super hard to staff existing locations I’m sure. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting. I didn’t recall one was planned at the Promenade. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Arkansas Money and Politics (AMP), is reporting that Sullivan's Steakhouse is coming to the Promenade. The article states it will be over 9,000 SF, and AY Magazine is reporting that it will occupy the existing, free-standing building that originally house Del Frisco's. https://armoneyandpolitics.com/sullivans-steakhouse-little-rock/ It will be the 14th location, and only one in Arkansas.

I’m familiar with that report, and it’s statistically a compete aberration from the trend. NWA MSA percentage growth over the past 3 decades is trending down, not up: 1990-2000 325,364 46.2% 2000-2010 440,121 35.3% 2010-2020 546,725 24.2% To double in the next 20 years is quite nearly preposterous...it didn’t double in the last 20 years (rather it only increased about 70%). The growth rate would have to tick up to over 40% for each of the next two decades. I guess technically anything is possible, but literally no past or even current trends indicate that this would be the case. But back on point related to passenger traffic, clearly NWA will continue to grow and air capacity will grow with it. It will be interesting to see how quickly it recovers post-pandemic, especially compared to regional players like TUL and LIT. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MIA Saturday only flights are primarily geared around the cruise schedules, right? Seems like it’s a bit premature to be banking on that given lingering COVID. Regarding DCA, I read that article…still running at 67% vs. target of mid 70’s…not too far off, but LIT often seems to struggle with direct routes versus hubs (NYC for example, has been on again, off again for years). Regarding future concourse construction, LIT’s master plan calls to replace the concourse in its entirety in the next 10 years, going from 12 gates to 20 I believe. For XNA to plan 25 is…shall we say…ambitious (to put it nicely). For example, TUL is almost twice the size of XNA, and they don’t have that many gates.

Thank you for the compliments! We're glad you enjoyed your trip to our fair city - like a lot of places I suppose, it's experienced quite the rejuvenation over the past 20 years honestly. It's a MUCH more urban, vibrant city than it was at the close of the 20th century. Nice photos, and safe travels! p.s. Where are you from (Carolina I presume?)?

You're right. Your numbers match mine, so apparently I must have previously made a mistake with my math [don't tell my dad, who has a PhD in Math/Statistics!].

I've seen that book and find that argument quite valid...this country grew largely through immigration.

I’m curious to see Metroplan’s official take on the final numbers, and in particular, what their projected trends are for the next 10. They did a 30 year projection in 2000 that was on target for 2010 but now off track for 2020…they didn’t anticipate slowing birth rates or perhaps a slowdown in migration. Who knows…the metro has grown slowly a few times here and there (1980’s), then really reversed those trends in following decades and grown rapidly (1990-2010). It’s interesting to try and estimate! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk