Arkansas Business Cities of Distinction

For its development of traffic roundabouts to address traffic problems resulting from its burgeoning population, Conway is a 2012 Arkansas Business City of Distinction winner for green initiatives. read more >

An independent panel of judges has recognized cities, large and small, for their commitment to improving the lives of their citizens and the health of their communities. Whether easing traffic flow or using technology to enhance the efforts of local schools, the communities have shown a commitment to improvement and a vision for the future. read more >

Flushing the toilet was literally money down the drain for the city of Fayetteville, so the city developed a program to turn that wastewater into cash while improving the environment at the same time. read more >

El Dorado remains a regional hub in south Arkansas, and an impressive collection of civic organizations has pulled together to create a comprehensive list of programs designed to meet the needs of the area’s biggest employers. read more >

Russellville Mayor Bill Eaton took office in January 2011, and formed the Clean & Green Committee in February 2011, and its environmental efforts have blossomed. Those initiatives have earned Russellville honorable-mention recognition as a 2012 Arkansas Business City of Distinction for Green/Energy Conservation. read more >

The Searcy Regional Chamber of Commerce Workforce Development Committee teamed up with the Searcy School District and business leaders to develop a series of programs for 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students. read more >

Lowell, a northwest Arkansas community of around 7,300, had to scrap its computer system and start over. Overhauling the city’s computer network earned Lowell Arkansas Business’ City of Distinction honors in the technology advancements category. read more >

So far, through grants and more than $700,000 in local, private donations, the trust has renovated seven buildings and infused life into a downtown that was on life support. Because of the efforts led by the trust, Marianna is being recognized as a 2012 Arkansas Business City of Distinction for Main Street preservation. read more >

A program called "Tomorrow's Classroom Today" in which every student in grades 7-12 receives a netbook, a type of laptop computer, which he or she can take home, may possibly be the first school district in Arkansas that assigns students a computer they return at the end of the school year, just as they would a textbook. read more >

Eureka Springs, founded in 1879 and known for its quirkiness and stunning historic architecture, continues to emphasize downtown development and historic preservation. These efforts have helped maintain this Ozarks resort town’s status as a national tourist destination and earned it a 2012 Arkansas Business City of Distinction honorable mention award for Main Street preservation. read more >

If Arkansas is ever to become something like a heartland Silicon Valley or Research Triangle, and there are education and business leaders in the state who think it reasonable to strive for such a designation, the Arkansas Research & Technology Park in Fayetteville will be the epicenter of that emergence. read more >

As a result of the accomplishments preserving the downtown area, Arkadelphia has been recognized as one of Arkansas Business’ Cities of Distinction in the Main Street Preservation category. read more >

The city of just under 2,200 sees about 800,000 travelers annually. Its efforts to attract visitors earned Eureka Springs an Arkansas Business City of Distinction award for Tourism Development in 2012. read more >

Central Organization for Revitalization & Enhancement's efforts have earned Harrison, with a population just under 13,000, honorable mention recognition as a 2012 Arkansas Business City of Distinction for Main Street preservation. read more >

El Dorado began looking forward, rebranded itself, and became arguably the festival destination of the region. Its effort to bolster tourism with the development of a downtown entertainment district has earned it a 2012 Arkansas Business City of Distinction award. read more >

Jonesboro’s efforts to bring its downtown back to life and make sure it stays healthy have earned the city a 2012 Arkansas Business City of Distinction award for Main Street preservation. read more >

The Bentonville Convention & Visitor’s Bureau responded to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art opening by beefing up its advertising domestically and internationally to make it as easy as possible for visitors to come to Bentonville. read more >

In the last decade, Conway’s downtown has received a facelift. The Conway Downtown Partnership transformed the downtown into a hub that offers everything from arts to specialty retail shops. The city’s efforts earned it a 2012 Arkansas Business City of Distinction award for Main Street Preservation. read more >

The River Market District has transformed from urban blight to urban bling, thanks to the combined efforts of the city of Little Rock, the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, private developers, business owners and volunteers. In 2010, the LRCVB took over management of the district’s Ottenheimer Market Hall, River Market Pavilions and Riverfest Amphitheater and enhanced several existing programs while adding options for residents and tourists. read more >

While automated agriculture and a more tech-based economy impacted many small farming towns including McCrory, local residents made sure their Woodruff County town didn’t miss out on anything. Over the past year, they have proved that little towns (McCrory’s population is just under 1,800) can do big things. read more >