BENTONVILLE -- The film, culinary and cycling scenes are three of Visit Bentonville's growth initiatives, Kalene Griffith, Visit Bentonville president and CEO, told City Council members Tuesday.
Griffith gave an update on Visit Bentonville, its rebrand and recent activity, at the council's Tuesday meeting.
Council action
Bentonville’s City Council met Tuesday and approved:
• A Lot split in Durham Place.
• A Property line adjustment at 308 S.W. 3rd St.
• Rezoning 305 S.E. C St. from single family residential to central residential moderate density.
• Rezoning 801 S.E. 8th St. from heavy industrial to general commercial.
• A Lot split in Stoneburrow Subdivision on Town Vu Road.
• A Lot split in Hogwild Subdivision.
• Mike Bender’s appointment to the Benton County Regional Solid Waste Management District’s board.
• Reconciliation change order regarding the Police Department’s perimeter fence. It cost $1,549 less than the $65,000 contracted amount.
• Spending $4,200 for uniforms for the Police Department’s Honor Guard.
• Spending $26,783 for UCO Equipment to transfer an aerial device to a new cab and chassis in the Electrical Department.
Source: Staff Report
The organization is looking to help grow the film scene in the city. The city is hosting the Bentonville Film Festival on May 5 to 9, but there's a desire to bring filmmakers and their crews to film in Bentonville, Griffith said.
"They will come in from three to six months to a year to film different types of movies," she said. "We want that to be something we can do because that's guaranteed income for multiple months."
There's also an emphasis to continue to grow the culinary and cycling scenes as they are becoming more well-known in and out of Northwest Arkansas.
City restaurants' partnership with the James Beard Foundation is "huge" as it gives the culinary scene more recognition, and restaurants are tied to tax collection, Griffith said.
City trails are bringing people outside of Northwest Arkansas into Bentonville so Visit Bentonville will continue to focus on promoting them, Griffith said.
She recalled meeting a family of five from St. Louis who heard about the city's trails and drove to Bentonville for the day to bike them.
Griffith also reported the feasibility study for an RV park was completed with good results. There will soon be discussion about the next steps for that potential project. She also said the feasibility study for the convention center should be complete within the next couple of weeks.
Tim Robinson, Ward 2 alderman, asked if the center could be used for Wal-Mart and Sam's Club annual conferences.
"I'm hoping that's what my study tells me," Griffith said, adding that it may for some but won't for the largest meetings.
It would be a source of annual revenue and be more convenient for employees in the area who often have to travel to conferences, Robinson said.
Griffith also reported Visit Bentonville is working with the Parks and Recreation Department on developing plans for a bike park in Slaughter Pen.
The swimming pool at the Community Center will allow Visit Bentonville to help bring in swim meets during winter months when outdoor events are few, Griffith said. Visit Bentonville gave $1 million for a pool to be included in the center.
Griffith said she's also excited about the meeting space that will be available in Amazeum.
"We're going to be able to create some corporate team-building type opportunities that will be unique to other cities," she said.
The Police Department also received some recognition at Tuesday's meeting.
Jon Simpson, police chief, recognized Jaime Hobbs, telecommunicator, for her extra effort that led to the arrest of David Duffin last week. Duffin is suspected of abducting a 13-year-old from Chicago and bringing her to Northwest Arkansas.
NW News on 04/15/2015