LITTLE ROCK, Ark. —The governor announced Wednesday that the Arkansas Economic Development Commission is investing $10 million in 13 Arkansas communities for industrial site development.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the funding would enhance industrial sites to provide readiness for economic development projects, including job creation.
“The sky is the limit for Arkansas’ economy when our government and private sector work together to grow investment and jobs,” Sanders said. “The Arkansas Site Development Program tells companies worldwide that Arkansas is open for business and will help each of the recipient communities attract new businesses.”
Officials said Arkadelphia, Berryville, Hope, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Malvern, Monticello, Morrilton, Newport, Prescott, Searcy, Stuttgart and Texarkana are the communities receiving funds.
Funding was through AEDC’s Arkansas Site Development Program, which began in 2024 and received funding through the Arkansas legislature.
Sites awarded are:
AR-TX Regional Economic Development Inc. (REDI), Texarkana, $2 million
Berryville Business Park, Berryville, $400,000
City of Prescott, Prescott, $698,845
Conway County Economic Development Corporation- Morrilton, $109,800
Economic Development Corporation of Clark County, Arkadelphia, $1,013,710
Forward Searcy Inc., Searcy, $314,165
Hempstead County Economic Development Commission, Hope, $4,602
Hot Spring County, Malvern, $133,250
Jonesboro Unlimited, Jonesboro, $2 million
Little Rock Port Authority, Little Rock, $2 million
Newport Economic Development Commission, Newport, $335,700
Southeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Facility Authority, Monticello, $166,520
Stuttgart Industrial Development Corporation, Stuttgart, $823,408
Officials said AEDC received 28 applications for the Arkansas Site Development Program, totaling $44,646,370.37 in funding requests.
The funds are for site development projects, including the extension and improvement of public infrastructure, right of way acquisition, easement acquisition, soil borings and analysis, construction costs for site improvements, including drainage improvements, easement, dozer or dirt work, grading, site mitigation & site rehabilitation, due diligence study costs and other site development-related activities to improve a site’s competitiveness.