Lowell

[itk]

Long story Short. The City of Lowell, Central in NW Arkansas, was actually chosen for the Mahiki Beach Water Park, which was suppose to include a volcano, a Dozen Rides, and a Tide/Wave Pool. The City broke ground on the site just off Arkansas 264 well over a year ago, yet as construction was progressing, the city determined that the traffic on Arkansas 264 would be atrocious, therefore the owners (Pinnacle Development), decided to find a new location in NWA. However, Pinnacle has been looking for well over a year. They are currently developing a Million Square Foot Mall, and a 325,000 sq. foot Mixed Use Project, so they could be tied up with it. I'll send them another e-mail and see what's up.

I think the "traffic issue" is just a cover. There are traffic issues with a zillion of other developments going on in NWA. I doubt Lowell would ground a potential boon for their city just because of "traffic issues". I keep forgetting to ask them about that, since I've been wondering about that as well. [note to self...]

... bottom line had to be $$. I would think a water park could bring in lots of sales tax revenue (or maybe I'm mistaken?), so the City of Lowell not spending a little $ to improve the infrastructure in the area to land this park doesn't make sense.

[masons_dad1]

I think the "traffic issue" is just a cover. There are traffic issues with a zillion of other developments going on in NWA. I doubt Lowell would ground a potential boon for their city just because of "traffic issues". I keep forgetting to ask them about that, since I've been wondering about that as well. [note to self...]

... bottom line had to be $$. I would think a water park could bring in lots of sales tax revenue (or maybe I'm mistaken?), so the City of Lowell not spending a little $ to improve the infrastructure in the area to land this park doesn't make sense.

I heard that Lowell said the I-540 interchange couldn't handle the traffic a waterpark would generate. But like you said that may just have been a cover, but I don't understand why any city in NWA wouldn't want to have a waterpark.

[mcheiss]

It looks like Lowell is looking into building a senior center. The city is eying a facility around 10,000 square feet at a cost around $2 Million. No other info has been announced.

[Aporkalypse]

I heard that Lowell said the I-540 interchange couldn't handle the traffic a waterpark would generate. But like you said that may just have been a cover, but I don't understand why any city in NWA wouldn't want to have a waterpark.

It trashes it up a bit. Think of throwing Wild River Country into that nice office parkish area around I-540 in Lowell now and you have to admit it doesn't jive. NWA is ready for a water park, though.

[mcheiss]

It trashes it up a bit. Think of throwing Wild River Country into that nice office parkish area around I-540 in Lowell now and you have to admit it doesn't jive. NWA is ready for a water park, though.

John George (Pinnacle Exec.) told me in an e-mail that Pinnacle wasn't looking for a location right now. They said they had too much on their hands.

[masons_dad1]

John George (Pinnacle Exec.) told me in an e-mail that Pinnacle wasn't looking for a location right now. They said they had too much on their hands.

That seems to be the problem in NWA these days. Growth is proving too much for NWA to handle. In other words it's going to take 20 years for NWA to catch up with the rest of the country, but by then the rest of the country would have evolved another 20 years. NWA should do what the residents of Golden, CO do and just tell everyone to go away and leave their humble little town alone.

[mcheiss]

That seems to be the problem in NWA these days. Growth is proving too much for NWA to handle. In other words it's going to take 20 years for NWA to catch up with the rest of the country, but by then the rest of the country would have evolved another 20 years. NWA should do what the residents of Golden, CO do and just tell everyone to go away and leave their humble little town alone.

It's frustrating, I know. I just wish some entreprenuer would realize they opportunity here and actually build more entertainment, restaurant, retail, and other attractions to the area. Somebody will realize this in the future. May'be we should e-mail investors and developers.

But you and I both know that Chambers of Commerce aren't going to say that about their cities. All they see is $$$$$$$$$

[Aporkalypse]

John George (Pinnacle Exec.) told me in an e-mail that Pinnacle wasn't looking for a location right now. They said they had too much on their hands.

I think people have the wrong idea about the site. If anywhere it should be out near Highfill or Cave Springs, in an area that's not clearly visible but easily accessible. It has no business next to pricy offices and shops. It would present a traffic problem at Pinnacle.

[masons_dad1]

It's frustrating, I know. I just wish some entreprenuer would realize they opportunity here and actually build more entertainment, restaurant, retail, and other attractions to the area. Somebody will realize this in the future. May'be we should e-mail investors and developers.

But you and I both know that Chambers of Commerce aren't going to say that about their cities. All they see is $$$$$$$$$

It is very frustrating and I guess it's to be expected because as long as growth continues there's really no reason for anyone to spend any money on attractions like water parks and amusement parks because people are moving here without them. When people start moving out of NWA because of a lack of entertainment attractions then someone will decide to build something.

[Aporkalypse]

It is very frustrating and I guess it's to be expected because as long as growth continues there's really no reason for anyone to spend any money on attractions like water parks and amusement parks because people are moving here without them. When people start moving out of NWA because of a lack of entertainment attractions then someone will decide to build something.

Honestly, I don't think lack of them will cause people to move. Having them will keep more revenue circling through the local economy, though, with fewer people leaving for Branson, Tulsa, or Hot Springs for the weekend to do these sorts of things.

[Mith242]

In some ways I've glad we've mainly still had local developers. Instead of having a lot of developers from other parts of the country come in who don't really care about the area and are only here to make some money. But of course there are setbacks with that including the local developers only being able to do so much at a time. Overall though I don't get the impression that everything is that far behind though. I know I've certainly expressed frustration over developments taking so long to get built. I guess despite the growth going on I'm just not expecting Dubai type construction to take place.

[Thia]

There have been some recent changes just east of the 540 & 264 Lowell exit...

--The tree line just west of McDonald's has been very nicely cleaned up- I'm glad the trees weren't cut down they add character to that area.

--Starbucks on the southeast corner of 264 & Dixieland has a "hiring" sign out front.

--Ground work has begun on the lot directly south of Arby's on Dixieland. The sign on the lot just says "retail space available."

--If you look north and west of the 264 & Dixieland intersection you can see the work being done on northern extension of Dixieland. If I remember correctly, this road will have the first traffic round-about in NWA.

[itk]

--If you look north and west of the 264 & Dixieland intersection you can see the work being done on northern extension of Dixieland. If I remember correctly, this road will have the first traffic round-about in NWA.

[Aporkalypse]

Really? Of all places, I thought Fayetteville would be the first to do a roundabout.... or Bentonville maybe.

[mcheiss]

Really? Of all places, I thought Fayetteville would be the first to do a roundabout.... or Bentonville maybe.

[Mith242]

Really? Of all places, I thought Fayetteville would be the first to do a roundabout.... or Bentonville maybe.

[Thia]

I noticed today that survey markers are being put out on the land on the southwest corner of 540 & 264 at the Lowell exit (formerly the waterpark site.) Last I read in the papers (over a year ago) this was supposed to become the future site of the Saturn dealership and other assorted outparcels. Does anyone have more current info?

[strmchsr77]

I noticed today that survey markers are being put out on the land on the southwest corner of 540 & 264 at the Lowell exit (formerly the waterpark site.) Last I read in the papers (over a year ago) this was supposed to become the future site of the Saturn dealership and other assorted outparcels. Does anyone have more current info?

[bobhazor]

I remember that same info but thankfully Saturn has made no progress towards moving to Lowell. Hopefully they have changed their mind and are going to stay in Fayetteville.

[strmchsr77]

That land has had a for sell sign on it for about a year. Prime poperty too. We do still need that water park, though pinnacle has said it's not even on the table anymore.

[masons_dad1]

They are probably asking too much for the land. The water park was originally planned near 6th street in Fayetteville. Then one of the partners wanted to move it to Lowell. When this happened the other partner dropped out, I guess because he thought that the other location was better. Which makes some since becuase a water park is more of a regional draw and he probably thought that the location would pull people up from Ft Smith and the I-40 area easier.

[mcheiss]

Magic Springs & Crystal Falls in Hot Springs already draws people from Fort Smith and I doubt any water park in NWA would divert enough of them up here. The location in Lowell makes more sense simply because it's more centrally located between both Washington and Benton Counties. The fact that there's a lot more people just north of Benton County than there are just south of Washington County makes building it in Fayetteville a bad idea. Besides, there's really a lot of families with lots of kids in Benton County, so moving the water park further away wouldn't make any sense.

At this point I don't believe a water park will be built in the next 20 years anyway.

[jdevers]

Also, NWA is closer to Ft Smith than Hot Springs by a long shot, even if they put it in Bella Vista. Now of course there isn't the theme park, but while these two things are often grouped together they really don't feed off of each other that much. I have been to a LOT of theme parks and many of them have water parks next door, but only rarely do you see someone wearing a bathing suit riding the roller coasters etc. Most of the time I think it just makes sense to put them next to each other for space reasons, both take up a LOT of space...

[masons_dad1]

Also, NWA is closer to Ft Smith than Hot Springs by a long shot, even if they put it in Bella Vista. Now of course there isn't the theme park, but while these two things are often grouped together they really don't feed off of each other that much. I have been to a LOT of theme parks and many of them have water parks next door, but only rarely do you see someone wearing a bathing suit riding the roller coasters etc. Most of the time I think it just makes sense to put them next to each other for space reasons, both take up a LOT of space...

[Mith242]

There's things to do up here as well. I think a waterpark here could lure quite a few people from Ft Smith from going to Hot Springs. Hot Springs is a nice place and I'm not trying to slam it, but I don't see it being a better place than NWA. Oaklawn doesn't run for very long. We have lakes and beautiful scenery nearby as well.