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Conway’s Maly District Moving ForwardLock Icon

2 min read

Cardiologist and developer Dr. James Thomas made a splash last week sharing new details with Arkansas Business about his plans to redevelop the former Wild River County site in North Little Rock.

But it’s been six months since we first reported about his Maly District development in Conway. Here’s the latest info.

The $16 million, four-story, 108-room Courtyard by Marriott, the first piece of the 52-acre puzzle taking shape at the southeast corner of East Dave Ward and Thomas G. Wilson drives, should be completed in July. And construction is expected to start any day on a $15 million, 58,000-SF entertainment center.

Thomas, the district’s owner-developer, aims to create a family attraction along the lines of Fast Lanes Entertainment but with a heavier mix of electronic gaming. If the timeline flows smoothly, the project could be open in December.

His Maly Construction hopes to start work building an $8 million, 40,000-SF events center by August. This project could be completed as soon as February.

Moving Forward

Maybe you’ve heard that a Main Event entertainment center is in the works for some of the empty space at Shackleford Crossing in west Little Rock.

Thomas and his Maly Construction crew have.

But we’re told the competing high-tech fun venue will have no bearing on Thomas’ plans to redevelop a portion of the 30-acre former Wild River Country property at 6820 Crystal Hill Road in North Little Rock into a family entertainment center.

His pending purchase of the derelict water park, shuttered since 2019, is expected to close no later than June followed by the start of site work.

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