Arkansas officials provide update on safety precautions that will be taken during the solar eclipse

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

Next month, Arkansas is expected to receive 300,000 to 1 million visitors in the state. The first weekend of April will be when the state will be under a solar eclipse, which is expected to bring tourists to the state.

In an interview with Arkansas PBS, Lorie Tudor, director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation, said ARDOT is preparing for the increased traffic that will result from the eclipse.

“We’ll have supplies for everybody that might end up in some kind of a traffic delay situation, like gasoline, water, food and medical supplies,” she said. “We have these all terrain small vehicles that we can get in and we use these during winter weather and other times, when the traffic is in a delay situation.”

Arkansas officials provide update on safety precautions that will be taken during the solar eclipse

Marshals Museum exec discusses visitor numbers, outreach efforts

by Tina Alvey Dale (tdale@talkbusiness.net)

Attendance at the U.S. Marshals Museum is averaging a little over 5,000 per month for its first seven months of operation, and museum officials are expanding the outreach, which includes an event in Little Rock.

The museum opened on July 1 after 16 years of fundraising, construction and speculation. In January 2007, the U.S. Marshals Service selected Fort Smith as the site for the national museum. The Robbie Westphal family, led by Bennie Westphal and Robin Westphal Clegg, donated the riverfront land for the museum. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held in September 2015.

Museum officials initially hoped to have the facility open by late 2017, but struggles to raise money delayed the opening. Construction of the approximately 53,000-square-foot U.S. Marshals Museum was completed — except for exhibits — in early 2020.

Marshals Museum exec discusses visitor numbers, outreach efforts

‘Almost’ 10,000 visit U.S. Marshals Museum in its first month

by Tina Alvey Dale (tdale@talkbusiness.net)

Visitors came by the thousands to see the U.S. Marshals Museum on the riverfront in Fort Smith during its inaugural month. Hannah Green, marketing coordinator, said the museum saw about 10,000 visitors in the month of July.

The museum opened July 1 after 16 years of fundraising, construction and speculation. In January 2007, the U.S. Marshals Service selected Fort Smith as the site for the national museum. The Robbie Westphal family, led by Bennie Westphal and Robin Westphal Clegg, donated the riverfront land for the museum. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held in September 2015. Museum officials initially hoped to have the facility open by late 2017, but struggles to raise money delayed the opening. Construction of the approximately 53,000-square-foot U.S. Marshals Museum was completed — except for exhibits — in early 2020.

According to a 2018 study, the museum could see around 125,000 visitors a year. The Arkansas Economic Development Institute, using information from the study, estimated the museum and related tourist expenditures would have a total annual impact on Sebastian County of $13 million to $22 million. With 10,000 visitors in its first month, the estimates are not too far off the 2018 study.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/08/almost-10000-visit-u-s-marshals-museum-in-its-first-month/