State Commissioners visit Harrison

Posted Date: 12/05/2024

The State Parks Recreation Travel Commission met in Harrison a few weeks ago for their monthly meeting.

The group is the governing body for State Parks and the Arkansas Tourism Departments. It meets 10 times yearly and has visited Harrison three times in the past 10 years. 

Explore Harrison, Executive Director Matt Bell said, “They know they have a standing invitation to meet here, and we were thrilled to have them meet at Creekside and stay in one of our hotels.”

“The commissioners were very impressed with the community's growth and downtown. They said downtown looked so clean and bright. Many enjoyed walking from the hotel to a local restaurant, even though it was cold, and we provided a shuttle.  We also gave them a tour of Creekside, and they were very impressed with how nice everything was. The meetings were held Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning in the Arvest Bank rooms,” Bell said.

The commissioners’ business for November included the Parks’ construction budget for 2025-2026. Plans are underway to remodel or expand several state parks. Other improvements include Wi-Fi in all state parks, even if no cell signal is available.

They also adjusted the responsibilities of a Park Superintendent by creating a new position for the law enforcement side of the job. The former position will be divided into two. The park superintendent will not be responsible for enforcing regulations and safety issues. The Tourism Department addressed some marketing campaigns for the future, including which bordering states and target areas to focus on.

Bell added, “We have a great relationship with these commissioners and were very grateful for the $10,000 grant they awarded us to assist in the promotion of the Balloon Festival we hosted in September.”