kibitz: (chat) with Kelly Johnson, A.A.E. - Airport Director/NW Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA)

This week we were able to catch-up and chat with Kelly Johnson, A.A.E. - Airport Director/NW Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA). 


We are grateful for her taking time to tell us about Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport's (XNA) plans, growth, and predictions.



XNA (Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport) continues to expand and grow - can you tell us about some of the recent and planned expansions?

In 2011 the airport completed two major projects-the addition of an 11 gate upper level concourse ($21.5 million dollars) and the construction of an alternate landing surface (38.5 million dollars).


What trends has XNA seen the most growth in this year?  Increase of travelers, flights, specific flight destinations, etc?

The economy has a tremendous impact on our business. The uncertainty of the financial health of business' and our government creates a situation where people pull back from expenditures.  For these reasons XNA has experienced a fairly flat year where passenger growth is concerned.  This coupled with the fuel cost to the air carriers (which increase ticket prices) has limited our ability to convenience our airline partners to add new capacity and destinations at this time.

How many people fly in and out of XNA each year?

About 1.1 million people get on and off planes at XNA annually.

We have heard rumored plans of building more transportation routes to the airport.  Do you know of anything in the works?  How would that benefit NWA?

A roadway to the airport is one of our ongoing projects.  The route is expected to receive environmental clearance early next year and we will work to develop a financial plan to make construction of the new roadway a reality.  A direct route to XNA would benefit a customer's in ease getting to the airport and traffic mix.  The existing roadways traffic mix includes farm equipment, school buses etc.

What are the greatest challenges XNA faces with infrastructure?

The greatest challenge we face is lace of an aviation bill from Congress.  The majority of our large projects are directly tied to Federal Grants.  The last aviation approved by Congress expired 4 years and three months ago.  The FAA is now operating under the 22nd continuing resolution which expires January 31st.  It is very difficult to construct multi-million dollar projects with 3 or 6 months funding at a time in a climate where you may or may not receive that funding.

As an aside, the Grants the airports' receive are funded by a 7.5% ticket tax each passenger pays when they purchase their ticket.  I share this because we want to make sure the public understands that the Grants airports' receive are not funded from general revenues, they are funded by only those people who use the aviation system.

kibitz: (chat) with Mayor Bob McCaslin - Mayor of Bentonville, Arkansas

This week we were able to chat with Mayor Bob McCaslin, Mayor for Bentonville, Arkansas.

We appreciate all he does to make Bentonville such a wonderful place to live and work.  Thank you for taking time to chat with us this week!







What have you seen as far as job creation in Bentonville this year?

The City does not track jobs but we do track utility customers. Utility customers continue to grow at an annual rate of  +/- 3%.

What do you predict in terms of growth for 2012?

We are projecting 2012 growth at 3%.

How is the Crystal Bridges Museum effecting the Bentonville economy?

The economic impact of Crystal Bridges will take some time to quantify. Intuitively, we all know that the museum will create additional hospitality revenues for the City and NW Arkansas.

What other museum attractions can we expect to see on the horizon?

The free market will find its own way here – as demand surfaces, the supply side will step-up. It is likely that galleries and art associate commerce will begin to appear as the museum becomes a destination for regional, national and international travelers.

 How is the Splash Park and ice skating rink effected the downtown business development?

The unique Bentonville Square and its many planned activities continue to draw visitors from area cities and beyond. The 2nd season for the outdoor ice rink is expected to be as successful as the opening season which saw more than 10,000 participants enjoy this unique amenity.


Would you attribute most business growth this year to be from large-scale industry or small business?

Bentonville has enjoyed sustainable growth in residential construction and the small business sector.


What are some of the most exciting developments going on right now in Bentonville?

The renovation of East Central from the Square to SE “J” Street will create a beautiful and unique gateway into what many say is one of the most ideal downtown squares in the United States. We have parks renovations, improvements and additions  taking place throughout our City. The recently completed Downtown Activity Center allows visitors and citizens to enjoy adult wellness activities including bicycle rentals. The DAC offers maps and suggestions for either walking or cycling tours of our beautiful trail system.

How is the infrastructure keeping up with the growth?

The City has made an intentional effort to invest in the infrastructure that will draw investment and visitors to our  town. We have street improvements underway and plans for others in various stages of design and implementation.

kibitz: (chat) with Trish Kalbas-Schmidt, Marketing and Training Director for the University of Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center

This week we had an opportunity to chat with Trish Kalbas-Schmidt, Marketing and Training Director for the University of Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center.  She is responsible for developing, coordinating, and implementing training and educational activities for small business owners in Northwest Arkansas. Trish also coordinates media relations and marketing efforts on behalf of the SBDC and its’ training seminars in an effort to cultivate lasting relationships with potential supporters such as commercial loan officers, local chambers of commerce, and community professionals.

What does the Arkansas Small Business & Technology Development Center do in Northwest Arkansas?

As part of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center state wide network, we serve new and existing businesses through consulting, training, market research and innovation-based business assistance.  Our office serves the following counties: Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Newton, Searcy, and Washington.

How many businesses do you help each year regionally and state-wide?

In our office we meet with over 250 entrepreneurs each year. 

What trends have you seen in small business growth in our area?  Are there any specific sectors that seem to be increasing more than others?

The current trend seems to be service based businesses (i.e. food and retail). The technology and healthcare industry are growing at a strong rate.

What challenges or obstacles do you think Northwest Arkansas will face in the coming years to maintain its growth rate, and continue to be a business destination?

Leveraging NWA as a desirable place to do business.  We are a diamond in the rough, people don’t realize all this area has to offer.  We need to sell/leverage all the incredible resources such as our education, industry and growing cultural experiences, along with the workforce that is available.

What is the best advice you would give to someone wanting to start a business in Northwest Arkansas?  

Be prepared.  Understand both the risks and rewards that are associated with owning your own business.  Leverage the great resources that are available to you to learn as much as possible before moving forward with the process.

                                   

Trish, thank you for taking time to chat with us this week!  We are very grateful for your insight and all you do the the Northwest Arkansas community!