Cultural explosion? : Planned museums create potential for economic impact
Posted on Sunday, January 6, 2008
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS - It's easy to get swept up in the excitement around the growing collection of artwork Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is assembling. Museums of this size and scope - approximately 100, 000-square feet - rarely pop up overnight, let alone outside a major metropolitan area. And people like that the facility won't be surrounded by skyscrapers, cement and traffic-riddled intersections, but rather in 100 acres of woods.
Bob Workman, director of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art - which is scheduled to open in Bentonville in 2010 - works out every last detail in preparation of the opening of this world-class institution, and even he still gets chills of excitement thinking about it. But there's something beyond the physical facility, its setting and the magnificent collection that will adorn its walls that excites Workman even more.
"I'm as excited about what this is going to bring in terms of cultural tourism and promotion of northwest Arkansas as I am about any other area of this project," Workman said. "Think about the other projects that will become possible now. Think about the vacation opportunities. With something like Crystal Bridges, we're talking about extending people's stays. We're going to be attracting people from across the country and the world."
Northwest Arkansas has never had a large-scale museum, so it's entering uncharted territory. But one thing many city leaders and promoters of the region agree is that Crystal Bridges will have a significant economic impact on Bentonville and the rest of Benton and Washington counties. And with plans coming together for the construction of a science museum and a children's museum in northwest Arkansas in the coming years, Crystal Bridges won't be alone for long.
"This region already has the Ozarks, the University of Arkansas, Wal-Mart and a lot of other components, but museums are big," said Kayleen Griffith of the Bentonville Advertising and Promotion Commission. "It's the hardest thing trying to calculate what a Crystal Bridges or other museums will do for the area because we just haven't seen this here before. I can tell you we're already finding out (Crystal Bridges ) is creating an atmosphere and ambiance for our whole city and region. "
There's been quite a bit of talk about what Crystal Bridges will mean for the continued rejuvenation of the downtown Bentonville Square. Investors have contacted the city with future development proposals and ideas for the downtown as well as the area between Interstate 540 and the museum.
"It will complete the transformation of Bentonville into an international destination," Bentonville Mayor Bob Mc-Caslin said. "Wal-Mart in our city means people from around the world already recognize our name. But now Crystal Bridges will become a destination for a lot of folks in the United States and internationally. Even Wal-Mart evolved over time. Crystal Bridges will be the most significant change to this region that's ever transpired.
"In five years, you'll find the landscape here in Bentonville to be very different. You can't help but see where we're trying to prepare for this with 19 road projects, our parks, maintaining our safety with police and fire."
Crystal Bridges is being erected near Northwest J Street and John DeShields Boulevard, just north of the Bentonville Square. The idea for a Northwest Arkansas Children's Museum has been tossed around for several years, but has become very serious in recent months. A feasibility study has been conducted, a business plan drawn up and, according to board chairman Jim Demaree," the facility is on the verge of really being in business."
"We're getting ready to begin our search for an experienced executive director, and we'll be setting up our temporary office and vision room in downtown Bentonville," Demaree said. "We've received some big donations and we'll be making a very big announcement in the near future. We haven't selected a site yet, but we've narrowed that search significantly and we're looking at a possible opening in 2011."
Whether this facility will be constructed in Benton County or Washington County is unknown, but what's certain is the children's museum industry is the fastest growing segment of the museum world. Several involved in the planning of area museums agree there could be added benefits to the children's museum and Crystal Bridges being in close proximity. But northwest Arkansas may have some built-in advantages even if they are constructed in different communities or even counties.
"We tend to forget when we're here how bad traffic is in other parts of the country," Workman said. "The distance between Bella Vista and Fayetteville really isn't that far. That's very attractive to someone visiting from a major metropolitan area. They can get around an entire region with relative ease."
Plans for the construction of a science museum also have been in the news in northwest Arkansas. In fact, Brent Robinson, interim executive director of the Northwest Arkansas Museum Foundation, said a full-time director is already being sought. Plans call for a 130, 000-square-foot science center, 57, 000 of which would be dedicated to exhibits and education opportunities.
"If every domino were to fall into place, we could be looking at opening in 2012," Robinson said. "We're looking at six to eight top-notch sites right now, but we've had hundreds of calls. We're looking all up and down the I-540 corridor. Crystal Bridges would be drawing people from around the world, while a science museum would bring more regional visitors and attract schools from all over, even outside Arkansas."
Add all three of those museums into the mix and the potential for significant economic impact starts to become crystal clear. Crystal Bridges anticipates 250, 000 visitors each year, while the science museum could potentially draw 140, 000, according to Robinson. And that doesn't even take into account those who visit the Northwest Arkansas Children's Museum.
"Think about all the vendors that fly into the area to do business with Wal-Mart and other companies on a regular basis," Workman said. "You add world-class museums and other attractions to what we already have and you could see more of those vendors starting to bring their families along and making a vacation of it. The potential there is something we have to tap into."
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