Floodwaters from the rising Arkansas River have moved tailgating events scheduled to be held before Thursday's Jimmy Buffett concert at Verizon Arena to the north side of the flood wall that lines North Little Rock's downtown riverbank.
Tailgate parties will be held along Riverfront Drive from Willow Street to Cypress Street on Thursday. The city will close Riverfront Drive from 9 a.m. Wednesday to noon Friday, according to a city news release.
The public entrance at Willow Street and Riverfront Drive will open at 8 a.m. Thursday for those attending the tailgating events. Entry to the tailgating events is free to the public, though there are costs for parking, food, drinks and special activities. Tailgating will cost $50 per vehicle on a first-come, first-served basis, with only one vehicle allowed in a spot.
Pedestrians can attend without tailgating, according to the city news release. Pedestrians can enter at Riverfront Drive intersections at Cypress Street, Olive Street or Poplar Street.
The Little Rock Parrothead Club, a Buffett fan club, will meet south of Riverfront Drive near Olive Street. This has moved from the original location at the pavilion in Riverside RV Park, which is closed because of flooding.
The North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce will be in the parking lot at 100 Main St. from 4 to 7 p.m. with live music and food. Tickets to that event are $20 in advance at the chamber office.
Verizon Arena's doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for the 8 p.m. concert.
Information is available at nlr.ar.gov/news/jimmy_buffett_at_verizon.
Maritime museum closed as river rises
Just as soon as summer hours took effect last week at the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum on North Little Rock's Arkansas River bank, the rising river level forced the museum to close until further notice.
Water from the river had reached the parking area in front of the museum by Thursday. The city had closed the riverfront parking lots as of noon Wednesday.
Because it's unknown how long the river level will stay above flood stage, there's no timetable for the museum to reopen, city Parks Director Terry Hartwick said.
"It'll be week-by-week," Hartwick said. "After the crest, the river is going to maintain its level for a while. As it flows back, we'll start washing all the debris back in, clean it as it goes down. We will not wait until it goes away."
The maritime museum, at 120 Riverfront Park Drive, is on the river on the east side of the Main Street Bridge. The museum features the Pearl Harbor-surviving Hoga tug and the World War II-era Razorback submarine.
Parks agency lists flood-closure sites
Burns Park and the Arkansas River Trail were among the first areas in North Little Rock to be affected by the swelling Arkansas River, and more areas will experience flooding as the river rises to a crest this week.
"The River Trail is gone, soccer fields are gone, the Riverside RV Park is closed up," city Parks Director Terry Hartwick said midweek about the flooded areas.
A city Parks and Recreation department listing of closed areas includes:
• In Burns Park: Tournament Drive, the River Trail, the soccer complex, the dog park, Victory Lake, Shilcott's Bayou boat launch, the canoe-kayak boat launch, Championship Drive at the golf course parking lot and the Covered Bridge gazebo.
• The Arkansas River Trail between the Riverview Skate Park and the Big Dam Bridge.
• Riverview Skate Park, the Big Dam Bridge entrance on the North Little Rock side, River Road west of Paul Duke Drive, the Big Rock Quarry, Campbell Lake Park and Cooks Landing Park.
More information about city park areas remaining open or closed as water levels continue rising is available from the Parks and Recreation Department at (501) 791-8538.
Metro on 06/02/2019