Arkansas Blog

People are more likely to want to visit a place where people take care of themselves and their environment. A place markets itself when it is ecologically healthy. Arkansas is currently being lead by EXTRACTORS who get their materials at a premium. Our only hope is for better subsidization of PRODUCERS. Marketing dollars are pointless when they are disguising the truth. They only work when they are enhancing the truth.

So true John Brummett. Please ask to be the speaker at the next Arkansas Dept of Parks and Touism and/or the Arkansas Dept of Economic Development Commission meetings so they will stop wasting our taxes and do the job they are supposed to be doing.

Arkansas is a beautiful state. With the 1/4 cent sales tax directed specifically to state parks our parks should be second to none. We have just scratched the surface on what we could do. Parks and Tourism needs a vision and dynamic leadership to move more agressively to maximize its assets.

The lodge at Degray is quite pedestrian even though it has a golf course, a great lake, is on the freeway, and one hour from a national airport while we pump 40 million into a new lodge on Magazine in the middle of nowhere and nothing. The diamond mine could be an experience instead of just 5 bucks for shovel and a bucket. The crystal miners around Hot Springs do better. We need to built a new parks infrastructure that is the talk of the region if not the nation. We need to make a great effort if we want a big response. We should have a sustainable parks complex that makes our parks feel like going to disneyworld in scale while maintaining and promoting our natural beauty. Our effort should be too big to ignore but, we have no vision.

Oh there's a vision alright. Arkansas Game and Fish has a vision of millions of dollars in gas royalties. Never mind those sludge pits, they'll only be here for the rest of time. It's okay though, AGFC is going to take nature inside. It'll be one great big Bass Pro Shop. We'll be able to afford it! We've got money to burn!

For Arkansas to be able to attract outsiders as a destination to relax or play - we've got to change a number of things. At the very top of the list is our Archaic Alcoholic Beverage laws. If you want people to come here, they must be allowed to enjoy at least the same level of hospitality that they are accustomed to.

This one item alone inhibits growth and development in areas that could become major players in the tourism industry.

$1 million on a website and you'd think plenty of people would come to the state.

Arkansas Sludge Pit State Parks. Created in Partnership By AGFC AR Democrats and Chesapeake.

And y'all only thought our Toads Sucked