Workforce Summit
One of our City's greatest strengths is its workforce. We rely on our workforce to grow and diversify our economy. On Friday, we'll convene stakeholders to discuss the state of the City's workforce during our first-ever Workforce Development Summit.
We'll address our workforce development challenges and develop more comprehensive and effective partnerships among educational institutions, businesses and community organizations. At the summit, we hope to discuss solutions that bridge unemployment gaps, especially among early- to mid-career professionals, nurture a dynamic workforce pipeline through apprenticeships and promote inclusivity. Throughout the summit, our overarching goal will be focusing on ways to strengthen our overall workforce and attract new and better-paying jobs.
We hope you will register for the summit and join us Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Centre at University Park, 6401 W. 12th St. The event is free. Together, we can drive positive change in workforce development in Little Rock!
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Big on Little Rock
Hundreds of tourism and convention officials from around the world recently visited Little Rock to share their insights on the tourism industry while discovering the excellent hospitality located right here in the state's capital city. At the recent Destinations International conference, the people responsible for promoting their own communities couldn't stop raving about OUR community. Here are a couple comments that were shared with Gina Gimberling, the CEO of the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau
One of Gina's counterparts from another country said: "This is my first time in Little Rock and am impressed by the pristine cleanliness and natural beauty of your city."
Another from a neighboring state added: "From the time we landed at Clinton Airport, everyone we have come in contact with are genuinely kind and hospitable."
As residents, we shouldn't be surprised that out-of-state and international visitors view Little Rock as an attractive destination. There's a lot to love! In the heart of our City, the River Market pulses with energy, music and nightlife. A few blocks away is the serenity of MacArthur Park and the breath-taking architecture and collection at the all-new Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. Little Rock abounds in history, with meaningful experiences awaiting at the Clinton Presidential Center, the Little Rock Central High School Historic Site and the Old State House, among others.
We are the premier arts, culture, education and dining destination in the State and region -- a message we hear from our visitors time and again. There's no question that tourism and convention business helps drive Little Rock economically, and I thank Gina and her team and LRCVB for their dedication to attracting guests to Little Rock.
To better understand the impact of tourism and conventions, consider the Statehouse Convention Center had 239,822 patrons walk through the doors in the first nine months of the year -- that's more than the entire population of Little Rock! For 28 days of October, there will be either a meeting, convention or event in the convention center. Most importantly, in 2021 alone, visitors spent more than $1.6 billion in Little Rock.
We understand that our local businesses, including restaurants and hotels, depend on our tourism economy to thrive. We must continue to identify ways to support tourism in Little Rock through investments like Downtown improvements or youth sports and parks and recreation infrastructure.
I appreciate Destinations International for asking me to speak at its conference. I was able to share with them our vision to construct an indoor and outdoor sports complex in Little Rock as a means to spur additional tourism growth while uniting our residents through youth sports and activities. Sports cross all cultural and socioeconomic barriers. With that future step, which includes a sports feasibility study, Little Rock will be more attractive to visitors and residents alike. Currently, we are investing in a Downtown Master Plan and an Ambassador program to assist our visitors and enhance safety. These additional steps will ensure we retain our popularity as a tourism and convention destination.
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Downtown Master Plan Open House
Residents, business leaders, stakeholders and advocates for Downtown Little Rock showed their passion and voice recently as we kicked off the process of developing our first-ever Downtown Master Plan.
We had more than 200 people join us at an Open House to learn more about the planning process and offer feedback to the City, the Downtown Little Rock Partnership and Sasaki, the international design firm that is guiding the process. We are grateful to hear from so many voices, and I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to speak directly with me and/or the Sasaki team to share aspirations, suggestions or concerns. The plan is expected to be complete by mid-2024, though as was pointed out at the Open House, some suggestions could be implemented right now as we strive to make Downtown Little Rock a better place to live work, and play.
Residents can learn more about the Master Plan and ensure their voices are heard by visiting the Downtown Little Rock Master Plan website. Our partners at Sasaki also plan to be out in the community often in coming months to gather data, ask questions and solicit input. And, in order for us to develop the best road map for the future of our urban core, we need participation from everyone. It's essential for us to create a Master Plan that's a blueprint for successful policy and projects over the coming decade.
My appreciation, again, to everyone who attended the Open House and to those who have been asked to serve on stakeholder committees as we grow a Downtown that benefits all of Little Rock.
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"Big on Fun"
Downtown Little Rock's newest mural reminds everyone who passes by to take a moment for some fun! The mural on the west wall of the River Market Parking Deck is a gift to the City from the Rotary Club of Little Rock, which is focusing this year on the power of fun and how having fun can lead to important mental, physical and emotional benefits in our lives.
The "Big on Fun" mural was painted by local artist Jessica Jones, and it's inspired by the native flowers and plants of The Natural State. Visitors will see colorful wildflowers during a rain shower, with interactive features such as an umbrella and rain bucket that give visitors a chance to interact with the mural. Visitors are encourage to take photos and tag the Instagram account, @Funin501.
I'm proud to lead a City where we prioritize the importance of fun, and where we make public art a priority. With the addition of this mural, there are almost 20 murals located throughout Downtown that highlight a feature of our City or serve as a connection point for residents.
As a member of the Rotary Club of Little Rock, also known as Club 99, I'm proud of the investment and the commitment that my club has to the City it serves. I appreciate this year's Club 99 President Natalie Ghidotti for spearheading the "Big on Fun" mural project.
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Cape Coast Visit
Sister Cities help make the world a smaller place as they provide us opportunities to meet others who have shared interests in cultural understandings and diplomacy. Recently, Mayor Ernest Arthur and a delegation from Cape Coast, Ghana, visited Little Rock to learn more about our City. We are considering a Sister Cities partnership with Cape Coast, and this was the initial step in that process.
It's been my goal to identify a Sister City in sub-Saharan Africa. Cape Coast would be Little Rock's first Sister City on that continent. It was a pleasure to meet Mayor Arthur and the Cape Coast delegation to hear about their political and cultural landscape. Mayor Arthur is passionate about education, job creation and sustainability, characteristics that he and I share.
Our Sister Cities relationships are fostered by the Sister Cities Commission, currently chaired by Brandon Morris. Little Rock has several other sister cities, including Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England, and Hanam City, South Korea. The foundation for all Sister City relationships encompasses three aspects: education, economic development and culture.
The concept of Sister Cities was established in the 1950s as a way to create positive connections between international communities. President Eisenhower founded the Sister Cities program in 1956.
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The Week Ahead
- There is no Little Rock Board of Directors meeting this week. The next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 4 p.m. at The Centre at University Park, 6401 W. 12th St., where directors will set the agenda for the next regular meeting.
- The City of Little Rock Sustainability Commission meets Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 4 p.m. at the Willie L. Hinton Neighborhood Resource Center, 3805 W. 12th St. The Sustainability Commission promotes environmental and economic health through policy recommendations to the City.
- Residents can learn more about the Little Rock Police Department, crime prevention strategies and up-to-date crime statistics at a quarterly meeting of the LRPD. This session, which covers LRPD's Southwest district, is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. at LRPD's Southwest Station, 6401 Baseline Road.
- As noted previously, our first Workforce Development Summit is Friday at 9 a.m. at The Centre at University Park. Register here for this event as we discuss best practices for growing and strengthen our local workforce.
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As always, stay up to date with what's happening in the City on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram via @citylittlerock. You can also email me at mayorscott@littlerock.gov or call my office at 501.371.4744.
I appreciate you!
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