Official Statement on War memorial Redevelopment Project

In 2016, Think Big Little Rock launched a strategic visioning process for Little Rock. Our group was compromised of more than 100 young professionals, under the age of 40, from all over central Arkansas, from various professions, and backgrounds. Our mission was to create a strategic plan to attract and retain young professionals in Little Rock. As a result, we spent more than a year studying and discussing how to improve the quality of life and sense of place for young professionals.

Ultimately, in December 2017, we offered several recommendations, including the revitalization of War Memorial Golf Course as a multipurpose area and central park. To us, this revitalization made the most economic and practical sense; the golf course had been underused for a number of years and was operating at a deficit of more than $200,000 annually since 2015. More importantly, due to the ideal location adjacent to Interstate 630 and in the heart of the city, this area was not being utilized to its fullest potential. 

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We envision a space that would serve as a destination to every resident of Little Rock. We envision a space that could serve as an economic engine to attract youth sports tournaments.  We envision a space that would host outdoor events, theater, and concerts. We envision a space that would allow friends to gather for soccer, basketball, or disc golf. We envision a space where families would purchase lunch from food trucks to have a picnic in the park and then walk over to the Little Rock Zoo and the Hillary Clinton Children’s Library. These types of amenities are available in other thriving cities, like Austin and Atlanta, where young professionals are flocking to. We need those amenities here in our capital city.

Think Big Little Rock is still working to make Little Rock an attractive destination for young professionals to live, work and thrive. We are supportive of the City of Little Rock’s bold and visionary leadership to revitalize and reimagine War Memorial Golf Course. We are also appreciative of the Board of Directors and Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. who have been willing to listen to recommendations that resulted from our nearly two-year study of War Memorial and the surrounding neighborhoods. We look forward to Little Rock’s central park being the “go to” destination for all residents and tourists of Little Rock.