Ernst & Young, one of the big four accounting firms, is closing its Little Rock, AR office to open one in Rogers, AR (population 38,829). I see this as one of the first signs of the “tipping point” of movement from old, big cities to newer, more vibrant ones like Rogers.
Little Rock is the state capitol and has been the economic center for the state since its founding. However, the balance of power in the state has slowly but relentlessly been shifting to northwest Arkansas for the past twenty years. Entrepreneurs like Sam Walton, J. B. Hunt, Don Tyson and others created an economic powerhouse there and the shift to the NW is becoming more rapid.
E&Y’s move is just another indication of the power of entrepreneurial towns like Rogers surpassing the more bureaucratic ones like Little Rock.
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Jack, I agree about the tipping point...wholeheartedly.
As a resident of Bentonville, I can certainly attest to the shift towards Northwest Arkansas as it relates to economics in the state. There is opportunity here. But it comes with a catch.
Rogers has been extremely short-sighted thus far, falling all over themselves to approve every new development while sacrificing their historic downtown for snazzy new growth centered around an interstate corridor. Growth in Rogers is dependent on big money like Congress' transportation bill and massive infrastructure upgrades. Which is what's necessary when the city's best plan for the future involves cheap oil and lots of cars. Except for old part of town, there are no attempts to extend the city's street grid, to encourage connectivity, or to build at higher densities with mixed uses and compact walkable neighborhoods.
Rogers is a magnet for growth, mostly due to the expansion of the Wal-Mart vendor population. But its mostly country clubs, look-a-like houses, and developers looking for a quick buck throwing around words like "upscale" as if they were going out of style.
In 30 years, their pricey "upscale" developments will be old news, and they'll have miles and miles of roads without sidewalks, pedestrians, or vitality.
Basically, they'll be Springdale, right down the road. To borrow from Kunstler, the bright shiny "geography of nowhere." And the smart, creative people will leave for progressive, forward-thinking towns and cities.
Bill: You are right on point with your comments about towns often forgetting their past and not trying to enhance rather than leaving their historic downtowns. The towns that "really get it" use their downtowns as a base for creating a unique "sense of place."
Thanks for sharing your perspective.
jack
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