Greenland annexation prompted by music venue prospects

GREENLAND -- Greenland wants to annex 405 acres west of Interstate 49 that includes land for a proposed outdoor music venue, Mayor Bill Groom confirmed Wednesday.

"That is my understanding, that it would seat 15,000 to 20,000 people," Groom said. "That is what's being talked about."

He said he didn't know specifics of the plan, only the investors are in discussions with Doyle Reynolds, the property owner and long-time area resident, on purchasing 305 acres.

The annexation proposal will go before Washington County Judge Joseph Wood, who will conduct an open meeting in the Quorum Court meeting room at 10 a.m. o̶n̶ ̶S̶e̶p̶t̶.̶ ̶1̶0̶ Thursday.* If the county agrees to the annexation, taking the property into the city will still require City Council approval, Groom said. With the time required for public notice and comment periods, the annexation cannot be before October at the earliest, he said.

Not a penny of city money is being asked for the venue, he said. However, investors want the site to be within a city's jurisdiction, he said. That request prompted the annexation move.

"It's something we're cautiously excited about," Groom said of the venue idea.

If the project takes off, it could attract other development, he said.

The property involved is north of Washington County 203 near Wilson Street. There is a truck stop with a McDonald's restaurant near there, Groom said. The property starts at a hill behind the truck stop and extends north.

The annexation would take in the proposed venue site and another 100 or so acres belonging to other property owners. The additional property would square up city boundaries, Groom said. Two owners were asked if they would like to take the opportunity to come into city jurisdiction, and both agreed, Groom said. There is another small strip of land that would be taken in, but there's some uncertainty about who owns it, the mayor said.

Reynolds, reached by telephone, referred questions about the prospective music venue to real estate agent Page Ralston of Fayetteville. Ralston agreed to forward a request for comment to the investors, but said any answers to questions would have to come from them. No response was received Wednesday evening.

Groom said he doubts any construction on a venue would start until the following spring, assuming that the project develops.

The region has seen music venue proposals before, including the long-discussed Osage Creek amphitheater near Siloam Springs. That private project was planned, partially built and discussed for 10 years, from 2004 to 2014, but never completed.

Commentary on 08/31/2017

*CORRECTION: A proposed annexation of 405 acres by Greenland will go before Washington County Judge Joseph Wood at a public meeting in the county Quorum Court meeting room at 10 a.m. Thursday. The time and place of the meeting was incorrect in a previous version of this story.

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