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A&P, Parks Commission submit offer for Sunset Lake land |
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Friday, 04 April 2008 |
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By Jillian Duke
Courier Staff The Benton Advertising and Promotion Commission and the city’s Parks Commission submitted a joint offer Thursday night to purchase 5.59 acres of land near Sunset Lake.
The groups, meeting in a special called session, made an offer of $200,000 to owner Mike O’Kelley. Karen Crowson, managing broker with Crye-Leike Realtors of Benton, is representing the buyers.
O’Kelley intended to build multi-family housing on the property, which now includes a house. Officials said they don’t know what they will do with the house if the sale is finalized.
The property is on Fairfield Road across from Sunset Lake, Alderman Brad Moore, a member of the A&P Commission, said.
The property is in an area where the A&P Commission wants to eventually build a civic or events center. The property is near Bernard Holland Park and the Saline County Fairgrounds, which are located along Interstate 30 between the Sevier Street and Haskell exits.
The A&P Commission is in the process of acquiring the old US Fuel Mart near the fairgrounds.
Commission members have not said when a civic or events center would be built or how it would be funded.
Jill Jones, newly hired executive director of the A&P Commission, spoke on behalf of Chairman Alan Jessup, who was not at the meeting. She said Jessup wants to make sure all parties involved are on the same page concerning development of the area near the fairgrounds in southwest Benton.
Steve Brown, Parks Commission chairman, said the area could be used for park expansion, but the immediate goal, he said, is to acquire the property.
“Our vision is not completely developed,” he said, “but we’ll find something to do with it.”
Moore said the 5.59-acre tract “is a key and strategic piece of property, and I think it’s much to our advantage to have it in our hip pocket.”
The area also is near the old airport, Watts Field, and the Saline County maintenance shed. Jones said the area can be beneficial to Benton. “There is a continuity to the land, and it’s a beautiful area,” she said.
“The silver lining here is that we can do with what we have and make it better,” Moore said.
An equine area is among the development plans.
“Everything ties nicely together,” Jones said, adding, “If and when the area is developed, Benton will be bringing in people from outside and showing them the commitment we have in Benton.”
She said commissioners believe the developed area “will take business away from Hot Springs and Little Rock.”
Holding events in Benton will give organizations, businesses and individuals an opportunity to be “big fish in a small pond,” Jones said.
The groups also discussed development of a 9-acre tract in the area that is owned by the city. Moore said he expects the City Council to consider this month whether to give the property to the Parks Commission, which has expressed an interest in the land.
The commission’s purchase of the old US Fuel Mart from Troutman Oil Co. is pending completion of an environmental study. The abandoned business is at 15433 I-30.
The commission offered $220,000 for the business after an original offer of $136,000 was turned down. The property was appraised for $500,000 in 2006, officials said.
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