Developing Howard County Committee Discusses Hotel Project, Economic Growth Initiatives

Vanessa Weeks, Executive Director of the Developing Howard County (DHC) Committee, reported that the committee has paid its portion of the recent feasibility study for a potential hotel development in Nashville. Weeks noted that several locations are being considered for an upper mid-scale hotel, with two sites emerging as the most promising.

The first location is at the southeast corner of Highway 371 East and the bypass, directly across from First State Bank and Roadmart. The second is on South 4th Street, where the Carlton Storage buildings currently stand, across from the former Husqvarna building.

Committee members plan to schedule a meeting with representatives from the Cobblestone hotel chain to discuss potential plans moving forward.

In other developments, Dana Poindexter of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission shared that the Southwest Arkansas Development Alliance (SADA) is expanding its focus to include both workforce development and regional economic development and marketing efforts. SADA is composed of eight counties: Howard, Columbia, Hempstead, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, and Sevier.

Additionally, DHC appointed Brent Pinkerton, Charles Smith, and Kelly Chambers to serve on the board’s finance committee.

The board also voted to hold its annual meeting on October 23 at 11 a.m. on the Nashville campus of UA Cossatot.