BEEBE, Ark. — Central Arkansans have become familiar with the concept— for a new development to be built, voters need to pass a sales tax in November.
Little Rock’s proposed sales tax has been big news, but voters in Beebe are facing a similar decision.
They’ll have the chance to pass a half-cent sales and use tax, allowing the city to build a new recreational complex on 40 acres of empty land.
“There's going to be space for five softball fields,” Beebe Assistant Mayor Harley Spears said. “The potential for a dog park. There'll be a walking track and biking path around the whole perimeter of the property… we've heard many people want pickleball courts."
The complex would be near the Beebe’s community ponds at 900 Access Road.
Spears said that while the softball fields have captured most of the attention, the tax could pay for any of the things mentioned above, as well as some others, like an inclusive play area.
Many of those features would primarily serve locals, but according to Spears, even those that serve out-of-towners could help the community,
"We've even had a lot of feedback about hosting state ball tournaments and things like that at these parks,” Spears said. “Which brings a lot of revenue into your city, too, even if it's just people grabbing gas and a drink while they're here."
Beebe already has a sports complex—the John Douglas Sports Complex, built in 1973.
But Spears said this new complex would not only have things the old one doesn’t, but it would also provide upgrades to other areas—and the city wants to be aggressive in taking care of that.
“We're just kind of trying to continue that progressive forward-thinking,” Spears said. “In the 70s, that ballpark probably wasn't necessary, but it's something that we're still using today, and our town's growing rapidly. There's new construction all over the place. So, thinking about the next 25 years, the next 50 years—what will our town need? What will the people in our community want to do with their time?”
Spears added that the city has done its best to listen to that community and develop an attractive proposal.
“It's people saying, 'We want pickleball courts. Our bathrooms at our current ballpark don't accommodate softball tournaments,' we need improved facilities like that,” Spears said. “That's the stuff that we've focused on when trying to develop and plan this proposal for citizens—listening to their concerns and their wants and wishes, and trying to balance that with what we can do, and thinking about what's going to bring people into our town.”
According to Spears, the area where the complex would be was overgrown not long ago but has now been cleared—partly to attract people to the ponds and partly in hopes that the complex will eventually go there.
But ultimately, it will be up to the people of Beebe.
“Just make sure you vote when you get that chance,” Spears said. “It's up to the citizens, so whether you're for it or against it, make sure you go out and exercise your right to vote at the election on November 5.”
ETC Engineers and Architects of Little Rock would build the complex. At their meeting on Aug. 19, they presented some ideas to the Beebe City Council.