El Dorado moves toward a new horizon
What makes the difference in a town that is growing and one that is dying? That’s a question that has been argued for decades by community leaders. It seems like trying to determine which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Some think it’s the local citizenry that make it possible, and in many situations that is the case. Others think it is the capacity of community leaders and city officials to have a shared vision — the ability to see opportunities that others do not and act on them — that can be a huge factor.
Still there are some who think that economic development will just somehow find its way to town. Then there are those who think you must be proactive in seeking out economic opportunities, lest your area fall behind in providing jobs for local residents.
The ideal situation is when there is a confluence of a willing citizenry, leaders with a plan and a vision, and an action plan for the future.
As always, there are naysayers who find it hard to believe that most any small town can effectively pursue economic development.
No matter where you fall on that spectrum of belief about economic development, one thing is for certain — you are either going backwards or forwards. There is no standing still in today’s world.
Based on the competition among small towns across the country attempting to draw business and industry to their area, the odds of landing a big business are much lower than they have been in many years. When you add in the impact of the global market, the chances become even smaller in most cases.
That’s when having local private parties, with a vision of their own and a plan to make it happen, can make all of the difference in the world.
A prime example is what’s going on with the Murphy Arts District here in El Dorado. A group of local business leaders had a vision. Even more importantly, they were willing to put their money where their mouth is. They drafted a plan to put El Dorado on the entertainment map and for the most part have funded the majority of the $100 million dollar project out of their own pockets.
From the plan, they located and hired experienced key people to help flesh out and oversee the implementation of the project, and it is one that is massive in its many facets and moving parts.
It entails building something from the ground up that will not only serve as an entertainment venue, but will have an impact that will far exceed the several blocks it occupies in the historic downtown district of El Dorado.
As Phase I of the project nears completion, it’s our first true foray into entertainment tourism that these business leaders are bringing our way, and it’s getting attention nationwide thanks to extended news coverage, marketing and public relations efforts.
Officials with the El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce tell us they have sent out more information packets about El Dorado than they can ever remember as the interest has grown in the Murphy Arts District. They tell us they have fielded requests from commercial entities as well as from many individuals from across the country. Among them, interest has been expressed by two nationally known food store operators, a nationally known soft goods apparel operation and a nationally known sporting goods store.
Some individuals that made information requests said they already want to move to El Dorado, citing that they were happy to see a town that had a plan that is creating excitement.
Come Sept. 27, El Dorado will begin in earnest its transformation that offers new opportunities many residents have only dreamed about before.
With the influx of visitors coming to enjoy the various entertainment offerings, and they are diverse, will be a new stream of income for our area. Local shops and eateries will benefit from the additional traffic that will circulate downtown and beyond. Many of those visitors will be coming from considerable distances and will be looking for other things to do while they are here.
As the project moves toward completion of Phase II, and as the calendar of entertainment grows, we
will likely see more hotels completed. One is almost ready now and a second will be open after the first of the year.
So, now that those who bravely developed a plan and launched it are moving through Phase I, you might say the ball is in our court. Will we latch on to this opportunity, back it, tout it and develop ways to leverage the power about to be unleashed?
We say yes. Let’s take advantage and grow.
Hats off to those who had the vision and were willing to stake a big part of themselves in the venture to make it happen.