Arkansas Business

A 180,000-SF Wal-Mart store, set to open in fall 2014, is expected be the lead project for a new retail development in Springdale.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville announced plans to build the Supercenter on 28 acres of farmland it purchased on the west side of the city. Officials for the retailer, who made the announcement in a home on the land, and said the new store will create between 300-350 jobs.

In all, developers envision the Supercenter as part of a 70-acre retail project. Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse said that while the city has no commitments from other businesses to build in the center, he expects interest to be high.

"You’d be hard pressed to find a Wal-Mart that's just out on its own," Sprouse said. "There will be other developments around it. … That's important for Springdale."

Sprouse said further development of the area would be good for the city, ensuring that tax dollars from retail and dining purchases would remain in Springdale rather than going to nearby communities.

Springdale voters approved a $71 million bond issue in August, half of which is scheduled to go to city road improvements. A recent project that widened Elm Springs Road, where the store will be located, helped pave the way for Wal-Mart selecting the site.

Proposed road improvements will connect Elm Springs with the Don Tyson Parkway and create easier access to businesses on the west side of Interstate 540.

Wal-Mart bought the land from the family of Max and Margie Hall. The company did not disclose a purchase price.