Speaking about public-private partnerships, [Tom] Walton said, “I don’t have the foggiest idea how directionally which way they’re going to go all the time, but when you bring people together, you figure it out. And when you find the common thread, then it actually builds momentum and takes off.”
“Northwest Arkansas has seen an explosion in the outdoor economy due to strategic investments in infrastructure and experiences,” Tom Walton said. “There’s no reason a person couldn’t start a small business or make a career in the outdoor industry here. And it’s the council’s job to make those opportunities visible to all Arkansans. We used to be called the Land of Opportunity, and now we are the Natural State. There’s no reason we can’t be both.”
Wearing ball caps and smiles, first gentleman Bryan Sanders and Runway Group co-founder Tom Walton met Axios NWA at OZ1 Flying Club last week to discuss the Natural State Initiative.
“I really think Arkansas has the potential to be the equivalent or better than Colorado [in] 10 years’ time in terms of owning the outdoor rec experience,” Walton told Axios.
Paddlesports industry leaders gathered in Bentonville, AR, January 25-27, for a leadership summit where the group approved the formation of a new national trade organization. The Paddlesports Trade Coalition will bring together manufacturers, distributors, sales representatives, retailers, and media to grow paddlesports in North America as well as monitor and engage in relevant federal and state legislation, water access issues, sustainability practices, and other matters related to the category.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order establishing the Natural State Initiative and Natural State Advisory Council, for which Brian Sanders will serve as its chair. Gov. Sanders said the effort will be part of an emphasis in her administration to promote the state’s highly regarded parks, rivers and hunting grounds to boost tourism and public health.
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