Blue Crane

Thank you to everyone who attended today's meet and greet to share your thoughts with us regarding the future of Bella Vista! The venue was packed with passionate residents and public officials who provided valuable input. “I’m proud to be doing this work,” said Runway CEO Tom Walton during the meeting. “All of our work is really focused on making Northwest Arkansas the best version of itself.” https://lnkd.in/gzb3eVmR

Paul Gatling for Talk Business & Politics: Blue Crane, the Bentonville developer, has closed a real estate deal to buy approximately 2,700 acres of undeveloped land from Cooper Communities Inc. of Rogers. “We believe deeply in Bella Vista’s tradition of connecting people to nature through cycling, golf and outdoor recreation, and we are confident our investments will reflect that,” said Tom Walton, co-owner and CEO of Runway Group, the parent company of Blue Crane.

Hello Bella Vista! Blue Crane is hosting a meet and greet on Friday morning at the Bella Vista Country Club for local residents. This is your invitation to swing by to grab a cup of coffee and say hello. See you at 9 a.m. on Friday!

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Boutique hotels are on the rise in Northwest Arkansas, with developers across the country investing in Northwest Arkansas' hotel industry. Blue Crane is developing one of two boutique hotels in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas. "Outdoor recreation tourism is a big driver of this need," said Brian Shaw, Blue Crane vice president of development. "Another driver is the continued success of major companies who call Northwest Arkansas home. Bentonville in particular saw a 7.7% increase in tourism tax collections from 2022 to 2023. Rogers was up 12.5%, and Springdale was up 6.1%. This is a trend we expect to continue."

Talk Business & Politics: Blue Crane completed a real estate acquisition for approximately 54 acres in Bella Vista in three separate deals totaling $33.9 million, laying the groundwork for future developments. The property acquired lies east of U.S. Highway 71 Business and includes the 9.5-acre, 48,000-square-foot Sugar Creek Shopping Center, a multi-tenant shopping center anchored by a grocery store, Allen’s Food Market. The remaining land is north and east of the shopping center. “Growing up here, Bella Vista was my backyard," Tom Walton said. "We loved exploring all the nooks and crannies of this special place. As the region becomes a premier destination for cycling, golf and outdoor recreation, we want to preserve Bella Vista’s tradition of connecting people to nature through our investments locally.” More information in the story below.

On Dec. 5, Bentonville city planners granted a conditional use permit to Bentonville developer Blue Crane for its “Bentonville Cycling Center” project. The outdoor recreation facility is proposed for approximately 160 acres. The land is north of Interstate 49, west of Slaughter Pen Road and south of Ford Springs Road.