SPA CITY RISING
New investments put spotlight on Hot Springs
As the home of Hot Springs National Park, several lakes and much more, Hot Springs draws people from around the world to the city’s relaxing, inviting atmosphere. Several projects are in the works around the city to help improve the attraction to the city and the lives of people in the community. The following are just a few of the projects that are underway. Oaklawn Racing Casino and Resort announced in November a $100 million expansion project to construct a high-rise hotel, an event center and an expanded gaming area. The project is the largest in Oaklawn’s 114-year history and will be one of the largest hospitality investments in the history of Arkansas. “Oaklawn is already the No. 1 tourist destination in Arkansas,” said Jennifer Hoyt, mediarelations manager. “This expansion will only help enhance our reputation and bring in even more visitors to the city of Hot Springs.” The project was announced after Arkansas voters approved an amendment to the state’s Constitution that allows licenses for four casinos. Oaklawn’s new hotel will be seven stories with 200 rooms, including two presidential suites. The hotel will also offer a vantage point overlooking Oaklawn’s horse-racing track. Adjacent to the hotel, Oaklawn will construct a 14,000-square-foot multipurpose event center that will accommodate up to 1,500 people for concerts, meetings, banquets and more. Oaklawn will also expand its gaming space by about 28,000 square feet and will significantly expand parking. “We estimate that approximately 2,300 construction jobs will be created in the process and several hundred permanent jobs at Oaklawn, once the project is complete,” Hoyt said. “Construction will begin Monday, May 6, two days after the conclusion of the 2019 live racing season. We have already started building new barns and have already started the process of moving the light to our new entrance, which will eventually be a little farther south on Central Avenue.” Oaklawn expects to complete its gamingexpansion project by January 2020 and the hotel and event center by late 2020. Local officials said this investment will be a benefit to the local tourism industry. “Tourism is our No. 1 industry in Hot Springs, with tourists spending $799 million a year in our local economy,” said Gary Troutman, executive director of the Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce. The Clarion Resort on the Lake in Hot Springs closed in December to start a $20 million renovation. The hotel is expected to reopen in late 2019 as a DoubleTree by Hilton. The renovation will include a reworked boat dock, a beach lakefront and a pool area with cabanas, terraces and a seating area with a fire pit. Inside, the hotel will have a new restaurant and bar, 142 all new guest rooms, a fitness center and new meeting spaces. The Mid-America Science Museum, currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, is also expanding. Last year, the museum announced its Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead initiative for a bond issue that passed in September. The $1.5 million bond is funding the addition of an exhibits facility capable of hosting larger exhibits, including artifacts and special items from the Smithsonian Institute. “As a Smithsonian Affiliate museum and a member of the NASA Museum Alliance and the Discovery Network, the museum would be poised for not just hosting one-of-a-kind exhibits, but it would also have the opportunity to host special lectures for the community by scientists who are experts in their fields of study,” said Diane LaFollette, executive director of the Mid-America Science Museum. The new exhibit hall is slated to be completed in 2020, but an exact date has not been announced.