An idea for a lodge complex off the Interstate 40 Burns Park exit in North Little Rock is being floated again after opposition from nearby residents a year ago postponed any movement on the project.
The city is reviving the idea that's been in the Parks and Recreation Department's pipeline since 2006 to gauge interest, North Little Rock Mayor Joe Smith said.
"All we're going to do is go out for RFPs [Requests for Proposals] to see if anybody is interested in developing a lodge complex for Burns Park," Smith said. "If no one is interested, I won't take it any further."
Last February, the city's Planning Commission considered a proposed rezoning of the property from "Open Space" to "Community Shopping." The plan was met with opposition from residents from the nearby Amboy and Belwood neighborhoods.
The change would have allowed about 15 acres of a wooded, 73-acre parcel off I-40 Exit 150 for the possible private development of a lodge, conference center, restaurant and retail shops. No proposal was presented. The area in question borders Charles H. Boyer Drive and Military Drive adjacent to I-40, which crosses through Burns Park.
Smith met with neighborhood representatives soon after the Planning Commission delayed action, and he had the rezoning proposal pulled.
"I told the neighbors last year that I wanted them to be involved with anything we do," Smith said. "If a developer is interested, we'll bring them in and get their input. This is just a step to see if anybody is interested. If nobody is interested, I'm certainly not going to change the zoning, and I'll leave it as it is."
Becky Scott is one of the neighbors who met with Smith last year. When told last week that the lodge idea was being revived, she said she doesn't see changing her mind about stripping away the woods that are next to her backyard to build a lodge.
"I hope it doesn't come to fruition," Scott said. "I'm against it and I always will be. It's in my backyard. Exit 150 is my backyard. It's a lot of people's backyard."
Scott recalled Smith being "really nice and everything" in his meeting with the residents a year ago.
"One of the last things he said was 'If North Little Rock doesn't want it, I don't want it,'" Scott said. "I don't think North Little Rock will be behind it. I still don't want it there."
Even while the idea has been off the table, Smith said he's heard from baseball, tennis and golf enthusiasts who say the city would profit from the opportunity to hold many more tournaments if participants could stay, eat and meet on-site. Many now choose to stay, eat and shop in Little Rock.
New city Parks Director Terry Hartwick, formerly president of the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, and former Parks Director Bob Rhoads have each told the mayor the concept has support from those who put on tournaments at the 1,700-acre park.
"Bob had told me over the years, and Terry has heard it in just the three weeks he's been there, that if we only had a lodge we could double the number of baseball tournaments at our ball fields, double the number of tennis tournaments, double the number of golf tournaments," Smith said. "So I've heard it from the previous director, and I've heard it from the brand-new director."
Hartwick brought the concept back up to the city's Parks Commission last week "to let them know we haven't forgotten about it," he said. He said there hasn't been any development interest for the concept as yet.
"It's going back to the head of the list," Hartwick said of the lodge idea. "I think it's a necessity to have Burns Park as a destination point for people. What we don't have is a place for them to stay. I think it's something we should look at to see if that possibly could be made available."
Scott countered that she doesn't believe those attending such tournaments would want to stay in the area, where they would be more isolated from other activities and tourism opportunities in the city.
"Kids [who come to tournaments] want to stay near the restaurants and near a mall," she said.
If a development plan is proposed, Hartwick said he thinks residents could see the benefits once it's explained and they can see what would be planned.
"I want their input," Hartwick said. "Sometimes it's just 'A lodge is coming? No, no.' But you have to show what you want and let them have input."
Last year Scott began a "Save Exit 150" page on Facebook that had generated almost 1,800 "likes" by Sunday showing support for leaving the area as is. The Facebook page had been inactive since August, but started up again last week.
Scott also said there are many people who don't live near the park who would be against seeing those trees stripped away, citing a city official's estimate that 80,000 vehicles pass by there daily on I-40.
"It's still growing," Scott said of the Facebook page. "I get quite a following on there. If anything happens with this, social media is the way to go."
Metro on 01/25/2016