JACKSONVILLE — For the past 20 years, Conway has steadily grown, with a population increase of more than 40,000.
“What they are doing in Conway should be emulated by not just Jacksonville but all Arkansas cities,” said Jason Wilkinson, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce chairman of the board, as he introduced the guest speaker at the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce General Membership Luncheon on Tuesday.
Brad Lacy, president and CEO of both the Conway Chamber of Commerce and Conway Development Corp., spoke to Chamber members about Conway’s growth and suggested that Jacksonville take a close look at what other cities are doing.
“Brad spoke at the Chamber strategic planning session about what Conway was doing and what Jacksonville can do,” said Amy Mattison, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce CEO. “For example, Brad spoke about [finding] a benchmark city — to compare Jacksonville to another city like ours — [and suggested that we] visit that community, observe that community, etc. to bring back ideas and implement them into our own community. Our marketing committee is working with the [Advertising and Promotion] commissioner on how we help promote and advertise the community together.”
Lacy contends that Conway has three colleges, but the goal is to make a town where those college graduates want to stay and begin their careers. Continuing to develop jobs is a way to entice the graduates to stay. For example, Hewlett Packard came to Conway in June 2008, opening up 1,400 jobs.
“Why were we competitive for a company like this?” Lacy asked. “Conventional wisdom said no community in Arkansas could recruit a knowledge-based company.”
The city of Conway decided to make some changes between 2000 and 2008.
“We were a city with a plan, and we were not afraid to take some risks,” Lacy said to Jacksonville Chamber members. “Take a proactive approach. No one was going to help Conway but Conway. It’s your responsibility to build Jacksonville like you want it and not anyone else’s. … Make sure you have pro-business people sitting in government seats.”
A few changes Conway made were unifying the leadership and consolidating some of the offices, creating a downtown partnership, improving infrastructure, greening up and re-creating a brand for the city.
The downtown area also received a liquor-by-the-drink license, which Lacy said changed Conway overnight.
“What followed was $50 million of private investments,” Lacy said. “There are now 30 private clubs in Conway. Fast food is not what a billion-dollar company is going to give its clients.”
Making the city more aesthetically pleasing was another goal for economic development. Not allowing chain architecture, organizing a Tree Board and offering design guidance are a few things that changed the appearance of the city.
“We had the only site in central Arkansas that was construction ready,” Lacy said about industry coming into the industrial park. “There was a bunch of stuff they could cross off their list. A field with a sign in it is not an industrial park.”
Lacy said in the past eight years, the dramatic change in Conway is a reason the city can compete internationally for companies.
“You better have a good product when it comes to the end of that site selection,” Lacy said.
Lacy also said it is important for the City Council and the city government not to be at odds and that a unified leadership that includes communication and relationships is the most important thing.
“The [Jacksonville] Chamber is working on their Strategic Plan for the next three years, and it should roll out in a few weeks,” Mattison said.