Main Street Arkansas Update - June 23, 2008

We’ve started a YouTube page. Find it here: http://www.youtube.com/user/mainstreetarkansas

NEW: 2008 NATIONAL TRAILS SYMPOSIUM: NOVEMBER 15-18, LITTLE ROCK more at www.americantrails.org (good place for Rails to Trails information)

NEXT MSA QUARTERLY TRAINING: JULY 29-30, HARDY
TOPIC: MAIN TO MAIN (HOW CAN WE REPLICATE THIS IN AR?)
SPEAKER: LEON STEELE, MAIN TO MAIN COORDINATOR, LOUISIANA MAIN STREET
THIS TOPIC HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY NEARLY ALL OF OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AFTER LAST YEAR’S DESTINATION DOWNTOWN CONFERENCE

JULY 24-25 - ARKANSAS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION SUMMER MEETING, MT MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 6-8, DESTINATION DOWNTOWN, BAY ST. LOUIS, MS
OCTOBER 21-25 – NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION CONFERENCE, TULSA, OK

October 20-21 - Artlinks 2008: The Value of the Arts in the 21st-Century, Little Rock


Main Street Arkansas Calendar June 23-27, 2008
Cary – annual leave, all week
Caroline – Preservation Leadership Training, all week
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MONDAY Nancy, annual
TUESDAY Greg & Susan, Jonesboro
WEDNESDAY Greg & Susan, Walnut Ridge & Rector
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
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IN THIS ISSUE
Batesville Press
El Dorado Press
DeWitt Press
SoMa Press
Light Rail, the UACDC & NW Arkansas
Citizens or Customers?
Downtown Kansas City
Tour the State with a Gas Rebate
What the National Register Really Means
Be A Top 20 Event as Ranked by the SE Tourism Society
Major Gifts: Finding the Perfect Donors

Good Downtown Batesville Press:
http://www.guardonline.com/?q=node/45947

Good El Dorado Window Display Workshop Press:
http://www.eldoradonews.com/news/localnews/2008/06/19/wonders-with-windows-71.php

CBS News Story of the El Dorado Promise
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/16/eveningnews/main4185453.shtml

DeWitt ADN Press:
http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/homepage/x746924883/DeWitt-to-join-Main-St-Arkansas
http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/news/x849708419/DeWitt-growing-local-square

SoMa Press:


University of Arkansas’s Community Design Center Recognized for Study Encouraging Light Rail in NW Arkansas
http://dailyheadlines.uark.edu/10356.htm
- side note: I agree that light rail is not just needed, but necessary in both NW & Central AR. Costly now, yes, but more costly not to act, IMHO. Additionally, light rail would be a boon to our downtowns & other dense areas.


Do We Want To Be Citizens or Customers?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/06/12/Rykwert/index.html
interview with Joseph Rykwert, architectural historian & author (though I think he means Truman Show, not Truman Papers)

Downtown Kansas City

Here’s an interesting series of articles from the Kansas City Star last month. It’s a look at how much progress the downtown area has made in recent years and, intriguingly, a “report card” on specific elements of the turnaround. The report card is worth some time examining. Could it be used in other places to measure progress?

http://www.kansascity.com/downtown


TOUR THE STATE WITH A GAS REBATE
We don’t have to tell you about the high cost of gasoline. Today in Arkansas, unleaded fuel is averaging $3.89 per gallon.
Certainly, high gas prices are having an impact on the state’s tourism economy – both good and bad. In one respect, those who might travel out of state are staying closer to home, but the opposite is true, too.
To encourage more in-state tourism, the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism said Tuesday that travelers to certain destinations within the state can receive gas rebates through the state's tourism web site, www.arkansas.com/hotdeals. Look under the tab that reads “gas rebates/offers” to view a full selection of businesses offering gas discounts.
The deals vary by location and include other incentives, too. For instance, you could get 10 gallons of gas at The Buffalo Outdoor Center in Ponca, or take $35 off a night's stay at one of the local luxury cabins through the end of the month.

Hotels in Little Rock and Rogers are offering gas cards of $20 or more if you book a reservation with them. Arsenic and Old Lace Bed & Breakfast Inn in Eureka Springs is offering $15 towards a room stay with a reservation of two or more nights through July 31.

If you’re a business wanting to participate in the incentive program, Parks and Tourism officials say a simple contact with the agency will get the process started.
Here’s more on the subject from our content partner, the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas.

What Listing on the National Register of Historic Places Really Means
http://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/2008/story-of-the-week/whats-in-a-name.html

Top 20 Events by the Southeast Tourism Society

Since 1985, the Southeast Tourism Society has published the Top 20 Events publication. Through a nomination process, the society chooses the Top 20 events going on in the Southeast for each month of the year, and publishes this list of winners quarterly. This publication is sent to over 300 newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, and others, as well as 125 AAA publications. The combined circulation runs into the millions. Current Top 20 Events are listed online at http://southeasttourism.org/top20/top20_julsep08.html.

Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism is a member of the Southeast Tourism Society. As a result, festivals and events in Arkansas may be submitted for the Top 20 Events publication, if they meet the following requirements set forth by the Southeast Tourism Society:

• 1,000 in attendance
• 3rd year in existence
• Payment of $10 nomination fee per event

Top 20 Events strongly encourages you to strengthen your nomination by providing supporting material such as:

• Photos
• Posters
• Brochures
• Press Releases
• News Clippings
• Volunteer Programs


Deadlines for Applications:

Event Occurring In: Submit by:
January/February/March 2009 July 11, 2008
April/May/June 2009 October 10, 2008
July/August/September 2009 January 9, 2009
October/November/December 2009 April 10, 2009
January/February/March 2010 July 10, 2009
April/May/June 2010 October 9, 2009
July/August/September 2010 January 8, 2010
October/November/December 2010 April 9, 2010


If you would like to nominate your event, contact the Tourism Development Section at (501) 682-5240 or e-mail kristine.puckett@arkansas.gov.

Major Gifts: Finding the Perfect Donors

Presenter: Julie Goebl
Date: Wednesday, August 6th, 2008
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location: Arkansas Community Foundation – Union Station
1400 W Markham, Ste 206, Little Rock, AR 72201
Cost: No Fee to Attend
To register: Go to http://sforce.benevon.com/intros/southern.htm and fill out the registration form. RSVP Required! Space is Limited.
Questions: Contact Alaina Szlachta at 206-709-9400 ext. 132 or alaina.szlachta@benevon.com
Learn a tested system to identify and cultivate donors who love your mission—donors who will give for operations, capital, and endowment. Find out how to grow your organization’s visibility in the community and engage your board in the fundraising process without requiring that they ask for money. This entry level workshop is designed for board members, executive directors, CEOs, and fund development professionals. By the end of this seminar you will have the fundamentals to embark on the path to sustainability and grow your major gifts programs year after year.
If you are unable to attend this session, please visit our Introductory Sessions Web page at benevon.com/introductions/default for information about conference call opportunities and other live in-person sessions in your area.