LATEST ARTICLES BY Marty Cook
Arkansas Universities See Growth This Fall as Enrollment Cliff Looms
With demographic shifts expected to soon reduce the number of college-age students, universities are rethinking how they recruit students and prioritizing retention.
by Marty Cook -
Broadband, Waterways & Highways: Arkansas’ $4.8B Federal Infrastructure Boost
The Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act has delivered nearly $4.8 billion to Arkansas since 2022, fueling essential upgrades across highways, bridges, broadband, and clean water systems.
by Marty Cook -
YOUnion Apartments Sell for $72.25 Million (NWA Real Deals)
Strategic Asset Management of Irvine, California, and Virtus Real Estate Capital of Austin, Texas, acquired the YOUnion apartments on West Watson Street in downtown Fayetteville.
by Marty Cook -
First Step of I-49 Expansion Good News
Any step forward is good news for Curt Green when it comes to Interstate 49. Green owns a commercial real estate firm in Texarkana and is president of the I-49 International Coalition, which is based in Shreveport. It is Green’s dream to see the completion of I-49 between Texarkana and Fort Smith along the western border of Arkansas, hopefully in his lifetime.
by Marty Cook -
State of the NWA Region Report Says Innovation Still Key
A State of the Northwest Arkansas Region panel addressed what companies can do to keep the momentum of growth in the region going.
by Marty Cook -
Greenwood Gearhart Expands Services with Boston Mountain Merger
After the acquisition, Greenwood Gearhart now represents more than 1,000 households. CEO Brock Gearhart said having all the services coordinated under one roof helps save “nickels and dimes” that can add up to big financial results.
by Marty Cook -
Core Brewing’s Evolution: Crafting a Future with New Products
Core Brewing still makes craft beer but now it is fueled by its Scarlet Letter Beverage Co. product line that includes hard seltzers, vodka sodas and, coming next year, hard teas.
by Marty Cook -
Northwest Arkansas Home Prices Surge as Equity Investors Move In
One company, HomeSource Property Management of Charlotte, North Carolina, owns about 200 homes for rent in Washington and Benton counties.
by Marty Cook -
J.B. Hunt Trials Renewable Natural Gas Tractor to Reduce Carbon Emissions
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. of Lowell announced in mid-September it would participate in a trial run for a new tractor powered by renewable natural gas.
by Marty Cook -
Banco Sí Growing In Northwest Arkansas
The first Banco Sí branch opened on South First Street in Rogers in September 2022. The success at that location prompted a second branch on East Emma Avenue on June 24 in Springdale.
by Marty Cook -
BNSF Logistics Office Sells for $9M (NWA Real Deals)
A Little Rock investor paid $9 million for the BNSF Logistics office building in Springdale.
by Marty Cook -
Arkansas Travelers Eye New Opportunities as Team Shifts From Local to Corporate Ownership
On May 9, after 64 years, local ownership of the Arkansas Travelers’ Class AA minor league baseball team ended when the club was acquired by Diamond Baseball Holdings.
by Marty Cook -
Skyline Report at 20: Strong Real Estate Trends Continue in Northwest Arkansas
There’s a high percentage of newly constructed homes and multifamily units being built and absorbed in the region, but affordability remains a major concern.
by Marty Cook -
Ozark Regional Transit Gets $14.9M for EV Chargers
Through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the U.S. Department of Transportation has a $2.5 billion Charging & Fueling Infrastructure grant program to build electric vehicle charging stations, and it sought applications from transit organizations.
by Marty Cook -
Northwest Arkansas Healthcare Struggles to Keep Pace with Population Growth
Health care officials say the strain on northwest Arkansas’ workforce is improving, but the area’s continuing growth will keep the demand for medical workers from slowing down any time soon.
by Marty Cook -
Student Housing Site Sells for $8.25M (NWA Real Deals)
Trinitas Ventures, a real estate development company in Lafayette, Indiana, bought the 2-acre site in downtown Fayetteville.
by Marty Cook -
Blue Crane Land Purchases Spark Bella Vista Hopes
It may be a few months until Blue Crane announces what it plans to do with the property it bought in Bella Vista earlier this year, but city leaders believe the Walton heirs’ interest is a sign its time has come.
by Marty Cook -
Arkansas Hemp Farmers Struggle in ‘Overhyped’ Market
The number of licensed processors, who turn hemp flowers into cannabidiol (CBD) oil or hemp stalks and seeds into industrial-use fiber and feed, dropped from 35 in 2019 to four this year.
by Marty Cook -
Arkansas’ Cold Storage Industry Heating Up
Major players are dominating the cold storage market nationally, but Arkansas still has plenty of room for local businesses to thrive.
by Marty Cook -
‘Gold Card’ Bill Seeks to Fast Track Health Care Approvals in Arkansas
Act 575 gives automatic approval in many cases for procedures and drugs ordered by physicians who have achieved a 90% standard on previous approvals from insurance providers.
by Marty Cook -