Fort Smith Mayor George McGill said Monday (March 17) during his annual State of the City address that the city is seeing economic and cultural growth because of its workforce, diversity, and “significant investment” in the city.
McGill made his comments before an audience of more than 150 gathered at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.His key points revolved around the city’s growth and economic development as well as key areas of improvement.
“Honor for me to stand here before you today. … Let me start by saying, the city is you,” McGill said. “As I reflect on progress and look at our challenges, one thing remains the same. Our people.”
Fort Smith grew in 2024 with the Fort Smith metro area growing over the past year to 232,000 people working in the metro area and moving about the city every day filling jobs, McGill said.
“Economic development is happening all over the city,” he said, noting important new additions to the city.
Sam’s Furniture and Sissy’s Log Cabin Fine Jewelry Store are both set to open in Fort Smith in 2025, McGill said. The city is also getting a Bass Pro Outpost at the location of the old Best Buy store near Interstate 540 and Rogers Avenue. Ecotech is converting the former Trane facility at 4811 Zero St. into a manufacturing operation.
“They are coming here because of you,” McGill said.
MILITARY, MEDICAL IMPACT
He noted Lockheed Martin is in town with close to “100 people taking care of that fancy aircraft coming here.” The company is supporting the foreign pilot training center at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, which is using the F-35 fighter jet
“(Companies are investing in Fort Smith) because of the trained or trainable workforce in the area and Fort Smith’s diversity,” McGill said.
Along with the new companies moving in, McGill applauded all those growing their business in the city including Mars Pet Care and Umarex. He also applauded the economic impact coming to Fort Smith because of the pilot training center at Ebbing
“At the end of the day, the Air Force is spending close to $1 billion in build out for that base. That money is being spent right here in this community with our contractors and our suppliers,” McGill said. “We’re pushing hard for them to bring back an air show. We need a good airshow in Fort Smith.”
He also applauded the new headquarters at Fort Chaffee for the 142nd Field Artillery Brigade, which is now based in Fayetteville. He noted Fort Smith’s healthcare investments, including the $200 million investment Mercy-Fort Smith is making in expansion and the 1,700 students at Arkansas College of Health Education (ACHE).
“With this, they (ACHE) are ensuring every resident of Fort Smith has access to the best possible health care,” McGill said.
He encouraged all of Fort Smith to treat those students with the “utmost respect and encourage them” to stay and practice in the Fort Smith area after they finish their schooling.”
WORKFORCE TRAINING, PARK CHANGES
Ways the city is encouraging those students and businesses to come and stay in Fort Smith is the workforce education happening at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith and Fort Smith Public School’s Peak Innovation Center. He also said improvements to city parks are important for a city to grow.
“The upgrades to Creekmore will be a phenomenal expansion including the new bathhouse, which will allow us to host major regional tournaments,” McGill said.
He said efforts to bring an indoor multipurpose sports facility to the city would help even more.
“I’d love to see that happen. We need this,” McGill said.
Infrastructure is another key element of a city’s progress, McGill said, noting the continuing construction of Interstate 49, the complete rebuilding of Towson Avenue, widening of Highway 59 to four lanes through Chaffee Crossing, widening of Highway 45, work planned for Midland Boulevard from the Arkansas River bridge to Garrison Avenue, and major work planned on Rogers Avenue.
“Fort Smith (also) is going to be making significant investments in renewable energy with development of two large plants – one by OGE and one by Arkansas Valley Electric – that will … save 60% of the city’s electric consumption for our municipal utilities,” he said.
THE CONSENT DECREE
McGill also addressed the elephant in the room – the federal consent decree. The city entered into an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice in 2014 to make significant improvements to the city’s sewer system.
“I would like to reiterate to keep in mind, yes this is a federal consent decree, but at the end of the day when we complete that work, we are going to have a modernized infrastructure of our sewer and our water. So we are going to be much better off,” McGill said.
Another key point of pride for the city highlighted by McGill is the 40% decrease in the crime rate in the city since 2021.
“In 2024, there was not a single murder,” McGill said. “These things do not happen by accident but by hard work and dedication of the police department and by you.”
The city has to keep working toward affordable housing and workforce readiness, McGill said.
“This is what our city is all about. It’s about creating opportunities, providing essential services and building a future that allows every resident to survive,” McGill said.
He encouraged all citizens to find a place to serve, whether on boards and commissions in the city or with local nonprofits.
“Nonprofits make up the bedrock of our community. They take care of the most vulnerable in our city. Therein lies the strength of our community,” he said. “Together we can shape a city that honors the past, embraces its present and looks boldly towards the future.”
Following the address McGill spoke to Talk Business & Politics about citizen concerns about spending priorities.
“Anytime the city the government is doing its job, sometimes it can cause spending. … The board makes those decisions about what needs to be done to advance our city. Oftentimes, people disagree, and that’s OK. At the end of the day, we are the ones that have to be held responsible for it.”
McGill also presented the Spirit of Service Award, an annual award created in honor of late Mayor Ray Baker, to Capt. Josh Edwards with the Fort Smith Fire Department for outstanding dedication to his work and his community.
