Chaffee Crossing

No recent progress on dissolution of Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority

by Tina Alvey Dale (tdale@talkbusiness.net)

Four months after Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority (FCRA) officials and its beneficiaries agreed on steps to be taken before work on dissolution of the trust can begin, nothing has been accomplished.

The FCRA was formed in 1997 to oversee redevelopment of 6,000 acres of land released by the U.S. Army from Fort Chaffee as part of a Base Realignment and Closure downsizing. The trust has four beneficiaries – the cities of Barling, Fort Smith and Greenwood and Sebastian County. The cities of Barling, Fort Smith and Greenwood and the Sebastian County Quorum Court have passed resolutions calling for FCRA dissolution. Only the authority board can vote to dissolve the organization.

Representatives of the four beneficiaries and FCRA representatives planned to meet Tuesday (Oct. 15) to look at a projection of property for sale and estimated revenues and expenses for the next four years, but not all representatives could attend, said Barling Mayor Greg Murray. The involved parties are hoping to meet in November, he said.

No recent progress on dissolution of Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority

Mars Petcare To Expand Fort Smith Operation, Add More Than 120 Jobs

By TALK BUSINESS & POLITICS STAFF

Gov. Asa Hutchinson and officials with Mars Petcare were in Fort Smith on Friday to announce a $145 million expansion of the company’s plant at Chaffee Crossing that will create more than 120 jobs.

Officials with Mars Petcare – based in Brussels, Belgium, with a U.S. headquarters south of Nashville, Tenn. – announced in November 2007 they would build the Fort Smith pet food production and packaging plant, and the $80 million facility opened in September 2009. The average annual salary at the plant was then estimated at $35,300.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/mars-petcare-expand-fort-smith-operation-add-more-120-jobs

The Fort Smith manufacturing plant will undergo a $145 million dollar expansion that will add at least 120 jobs in the Arkansas River Valley area.CREDIT TALK BUSINESS & POLITICS

The Fort Smith manufacturing plant will undergo a $145 million dollar expansion that will add at least 120 jobs in the Arkansas River Valley area.

CREDIT TALK BUSINESS & POLITICS