Props to Conway
Last night I attended a taping of "AETN Presents" featuring my friend Rodney Block and his Rodney Block Jazz Project. (The program will air Aug. 16 at 6:30 p.m.)
Dinner followed at Mike's Place in downtown Conway, which was packed and had a lively atmosphere. The food was great, and yes, liquor was flowing.
The Rodney Block Jazz Project came over and played on the elegant outdoor patio, as they do there once a month. It was a very nice evening.
Conway's downtown development is really coming along well, judging by all of the new storefronts, construction and nighttime activity (we had trouble finding a parking place).
How about reports from other Arkansas cities that are trying to improve their downtowns? Jonesboro? El Dorado? Ft. Smith?
Comments
Glad to Warwick. Downtown Ft. Smith is more than alive and well. The bar scene and music scene are jumping. Not my demographic but what the hell. The tornado of 96 was a starter. It got rid of a lot of old buildings and opened the place up. There is a new place called the Park at Westend that has an old dining car and food by one of the major local restaurants along with a concession stand in an old double decker bus, a Ferris Wheel and a Carousel. There is a new upscale apt. complex that is adding to downtown living and Rolando's is one of the best restaurants in the state. He now has a second location in Hot Springs and is packing them in. After the tornado the people passed a sales tax to construct a riverfront ampitheater and pavilion as well as new libraries and convention center. We are doing well in spite of the political climate of hardshelled Republobabists. The next big addition should be the US Marshals Museum if we can beat out Staunton VA and we should. This will be a national museum and a compliment to the Clinton Library and Crystal Bridges. The main problem is do nothing local property owners with no vision or willingness to sell their vacant and rundown properties in the downtown.. maybe another providential tornado or fire.
Posted by: FortSmithBoy | August 5, 2006 02:14 PM
Warwick----are you still involved, in some capacity, with PowerPlay? You do good work!
Posted by: honestone | August 5, 2006 03:24 PM
The City of Rogers, with its old brick streets and fairly well kept downtown buildings is not in bad shape but more could be happening. Here's hoping the city fathers look under their own noses and see what a diamond in the rough thet have. The SW Rogers I-540 corrigor is great but it resembles about 5000 other interstate intersections to those of us who travel a lot.
Posted by: Pat Moran | August 5, 2006 08:11 PM
Hot Springs has a nice downtown...as usual.
However, there are relatively few bar-type places after 9 PM.
Posted by: JD | August 5, 2006 08:42 PM
Seymour:
Anything shaking in historic downtown Hempwallace?
Posted by: hugh mann | August 5, 2006 09:37 PM