Pea Ridge city officials consider advertising and promotion commission

PEA RIDGE — City officials received a draft of an advertising and promotion commission ordinance from Mayor Nathan See via email Feb. 6.

City officials first considered an entertainment district in August, then learned the issue required a public hearing. A public hearing contemplating such a district was held by the Planning Commission on Sept. 6.

The Planning Commission denied the proposed entertainment district.

In October, Kalene Griffith, president and chief executive officer of Visit Bentonville, presented information about an advertising and promotion commission and entertainment district to the City Council.

“Tourism is the gateway to your community,” she said.

Griffith said people who created the Advertising and Promotion Commission in Bentonville 25 years ago were “very visionary … way ahead of their time … allowing us to showcase our city in a way that allows us to invest back in our city.”

She talked about the requirements for beginning an advertising and promotion commission as well as an entertainment district.

“Pea Ridge National Military Park may not be in Pea Ridge, but it helps tell your story. Work with the travel side,” Griffith said.

“You guys have products here. It’s going to continue to grow. We’re the fifth-fastest growing area in the U.S. right now,” she said.

Several amenities Griffith mentioned in addition to the military park were the McGarrah Farms pumpkin patch, Wonderland Christmas Tree Farm, restaurants, parks and drone watching.

“People are driving here. They have to eat somewhere,” Griffith said.

“You can’t just keep doing what works one time. Everything around you is changing. To succeed, you need to stay ahead of the change,” she added.

Speaking about advertising and promotion commissions, Griffith said the mayor would appoint members to the commission, which can levy a 3% tax for hotels, motels, and Airbnbs and a 1% tax on restaurants.

“You guys have opportunities. How are you going to invest back into your community?” she said.

“I call it ‘ new dollars.’ These dollars come from outside,” Griffith added, saying that it brings in revenue from people who pass through town, not the locals.

Griffith said the Bentonville Advertising and Promotion Commission has invested more than $10 million back into the community over the past 25 years in capital projects alone.