Familiar Territory – The Preacher’s Son

Inside the downtown Bentonville event venue Record on Wednesday night (May 11), famed singer/songwriter and entrepreneur Pharrell Williams perhaps summed it best.“This is a very powerful room,” Williams said. “There’s a lot of energy in here tonight.”Williams made the comments before a high-level crowd of approximately 300 policymakers, investors, business…Read More

More than six million people have visited the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art since it opened in 2011. Alice Walton's beautiful oasis has transformed the once-sleepy town of Bentonville, Arkansas, into a thriving artists' community. Watch her and Crystal Bridges Chairperson Olivia Walton as they share their perspective on…Read More

A new festival is coming to Northwest Arkansas courtesy of a partnership among OZ Brands, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary. FORMAT -- "For Music + Art + Technology" -- is planned to take place Sept. 23-25 on the private Sugar Creek Airstrip, a place with 250…Read More

Arkansas entrepreneurs are making a bold claim to be a global giant in next generation transportation, including flying cars, driverless vehicles, and drones. This claim follows Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson’s recent announcement to create the Arkansas Council on Future Mobility, an advisory board committed to attracting businesses, startups, innovators, and…Read More

Rather than describing us as "the next Austin," the Walton brothers painted a picture of a place that's to middle America what Colorado is to the American West--a less crowded state that offers abundant outdoor recreational opportunities, an emphasis on the arts and fine, reasonably priced cuisine. Such a lifestyle…Read More

Small towns, big towns, regions and even entire states have launched programs to motivate those like Anela and Ahmed Zuhairy, who moved to Northwest Arkansas to take advantage of the new perks.

Don't miss part one of an interview with Steuart Walton, focusing on Bentonville's past. We'll reminisce about unique experiences growing up in Bentonville, hear Steuart's favorite memory of his grandfather, and discuss why the sense of community has been (and continues to be) so strong in our city.

Olivia Walton, the new board chair for the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, is full of hints of what’s to come. Named in mid-November to the post, she takes over for museum founder Alice Walton in that role. Olivia Walton, a former technology reporter for Bloomberg and NBC, is…Read More

Bentonville is probably most famous for being the birthplace of Walmart, but the growing Arkansas city offers more than just big-box history. Museum fans can check out the Museum of Native American History, as well as the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and its satellite, the Momentary. There are…Read More

Patriot Software Company, a leading accounting software and payroll software provider, announced that it has raised an undisclosed amount in Series-A funding, led by RZC Investments. Located in Bentonville, Arkansas, RZC Investments is a multi-strategy investment firm focused on deploying capital into operating businesses.

The Walton Family Foundation is providing more than $1.3 million to plant 1,239 new trees in Northwest Arkansas and give away 5,375 trees to local residents. The move is an effort to “increase and diversify the region’s tree canopy” and comes at the recommendation of Steuart Walton, according to a…Read More

A website that ranks and reviews schools across the country has named Haas Hall, Bentonville West and Bentonville High as the best public high schools in Arkansas.

“I want to be able to help make this community of northwest Arkansas the best place to live in the U.S. for everyone who is here right now, but also those who will move here in the future,” Peredo said. “What does someone new to the area need to feel…Read More

With hundreds of bicycles on school campuses this year, Bentonville Schools is launching a competition called Bike Bentonville Schools. The effort aims to encourage healthy lifestyles among students in the Mountain Biking Capital of the World™. The Bentonville school with the highest percentage of students riding bicycles to class between…Read More

Walmart heir and philanthropist Alice Walton and her foundation will partner with the Cleveland Clinic to improve specialty care access in Northwest Arkansas. The Alice L Walton Foundation announced on Monday (Aug. 16) that the two organizations will assess specialty care needs in the region and develop recommendations for healthcare…Read More

Allied Cycle Works in Rogers is part of an exclusive club of bike makers that's not only based in the U.S., but crafts frames from lightweight carbon fiber. The big picture: The vast majority of an estimated 15 million bikes sold in the U.S. each year are imported — mostly…Read More

The folks at Heartland Forward describe their organization as a "think and do tank" rather than just a think tank. Established with Walton money in 2019 to foster economic growth in the middle of the country, it focuses on innovation, human capital, entrepreneurship, and health and wellness.

Northwest Arkansas  has ranked as one of the top four places to live in the United States according to U.S. News and World Report. The region tallied a 7.3 overall score placing fourth in the country just ahead of Austin, Texas; and Colorado Springs, Colo.

The brothers think Arkansas has a chance to be viewed as the "Colorado of middle America"--a place with abundant outdoor recreational and job opportunities, minus the high cost of living on the West Coast or East Coast.

“We are working to take Northwest Arkansas to new heights by focusing on investments, businesses, and brands to drive this catalytic change in the region and in all of Arkansas,” said Runway CEO Chad Yoes. “Positive change comes by taking action and making an effort, and that is what we…Read More

Unlike other popular mountain biking destinations, such as the mountains of Colorado or Utah or Whistler, the lower altitude here means less gasping and puffing. And everything’s easy to reach from downtown Bentonville, eliminating the need to load your bike into a car to reach a trailhead.  Read MORE.

“The GameBird is one of the most enjoyable airplanes you could fly,” Steuart [Walton] said. “It accelerates on takeoff like a jet, quite frankly. It’s more maneuverable than any plane I’ve ever flown.”

This spring, Fayetteville, Arkansas, will host a new event, the OZ Trails™ US Pro Cup, as part of the 2021 U.S. Cup Mountain Bike Series. The event will be held over two weekends, April 9-11 and April 16-18, at Centennial Park at Millsap Mountain in Fayetteville, home of the Union…Read More

Rapha was boosted by ‘third cycling boom’ during pandemic. Tom and Steuart Walton bought a majority stake in Rapha in 2017.

In Heartland Forward’s new “Most Dynamic Metropolitans 2020” rankings, the “Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Arkansas-Missouri” area cracked the top 20. This area was ranked at no. 17 among metro regions and was ranked third among medium metros.

All Kids Bike, a nationwide movement of the Strider Education Foundation, is on a mission to teach every child in America how to ride a bicycle in kindergarten PE class. Marking the program’s second anniversary, an ALL STAR roster of celebrity athletes delivered bikes to kindergarten students at Sugar Creek…Read More

Central Arkansas recently opened 13 miles of singletrack in the Monument Trail system at Pinnacle Mountain State Park, and another 15 miles of trails are under construction at Pinnacle Mountain and the River Mountain and Two Rivers Parks in Little Rock.

The Arkansas Good Roads Foundation is launching a year-long campaign to raise awareness of roadway laws for cyclists & motorists alike, ensuring safer roads for everyone. To get things started, they hosted a livestream panel discussion for community leaders to learn more about their mission. You can watch the replay…Read More

The Runway Group commissioned a survey of 600 Arkansans (PDF download) to assist the Arkansas Economic Recovery Task Force to better understand issues associated with the economic recovery and how to focus their ongoing work. The results of the survey were shared with the Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s administration and have…Read More

The final construction on a variety of new amenities visitors can enjoy at Coler Mountain Bike Preserve is nearing completion.

Decades-Long Effort on Mountain Biking Brings City Officials and Leaders together to make a Worldwide Announcement Bentonville, Ark. (July 1, 2020) – Bentonville leaders have staked their city’s claim as Mountain Biking Capital of the World™. “It’s true that Bentonville has become the new Mountain Biking Capital of the World™,”…Read More

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Saturday (April 18) announced that Steuart Walton of Bentonville will chair a newly established Arkansas Economic Recovery Task Force. “Arkansas businesses, leaders, and families have already taken extraordinary steps to come together during these past few weeks. With Governor Hutchinson’s leadership, we are united no…Read More

The University of Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center and the Northwest Arkansas Council are partnering on a Small Business Emergency Assistance program – an effort to support small businesses and nonprofits in the region impacted by the coronavirus. The program website is available here. “Given the current COVID-19…Read More

Heartland Forward analyzed the economic effects of the coronavirus on the Heartland & beyond. Initial indicators suggest the Heartland may be less hard-hit than other parts of the country. Full report here.

Today Heartland Forward released new research, “Millennials Find New Hope In The Heartland,” analyzing demographic trends in the center of the country. The research, led by Senior Fellow Joel Kotkin, finds the Heartland is attracting and retaining millennials at higher rates than in the past. Read MORE.

“Next on our list of top new museums is this contemporary art satellite space in Bentonville, affiliated with the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. The Momentary will officially open on 22 February 2020.” Read MORE.

Cycling has become a way of life in the Netherlands because it is easy, fast, fun, convenient and safe. Can the same things be said of cycling in Northwest Arkansas? Read MORE.

Rapha announced a renewed partnership with EF Pro Cycling for 2020, not only making the team’s eye-popping pink and blue kit for the season but also highlighting some of the riders’ forays into the ‘alternative calendar’ in a series of videos dubbed “Alt Cal”. The company aims to highlight unique…Read More

Outside Magazine’s New York City–based bike columnist visited America’s most up-and-coming cycling destination and found it well deserving of the hype. Read MORE.

The Bentonville-based airport Louise M. Thaden Field has been awarded “Southwest Region Airport of the Year” by the Federal Aviation Administration. This award recognizes the airport for hard work and commitment toward safer runways, reducing back taxing and accommodating additional aircraft of all sorts. Read MORE.

Just four larger metropolitan areas in the U.S. are growing at a faster rate than Northwest Arkansas. The region’s 18.6 percent growth since the 2010 Census is one of the most telling statistics about the Fayetteville- Springdale-Rogers Metropolitan area. Read MORE.

Aircraft manufacturer Game Composites has received its Production Certificate from the FAA for the GB1 Gamebird. This marks the first time in 23 years a Production Certificate has been awarded to a general aviation manufacturer. The Production Certificate marks the last of many milestones for Game Composites in the journey…Read More

After 72 years of operation, city leaders and the aviation community have a new vision for Bentonville’s municipal airport, Louise M. Thaden Field, to become a destination airport for aviators and an added amenity for locals and tourists. Read MORE.