BELLA VISTA, Ark. — Real estate developer Blue Crane has acquired the land and building rights to around 2,700 acres around Bella Vista, and they're setting their sights on outdoor recreation.
Blue Crane Vice President Farris DeBoard said in a release they are focusing on creating "high-quality, community destinations. Our intent is to be good partners in realizing Bella Vista’s legacy as a vibrant place to live, work, and play."
Tom Walton, co-founder of Blue Crane and CEO of parent company Runway Group called the purchase a big announcement, with plans to "bring in the community."
"We understand that this is a big announcement for many people. It is for us, too," Walton said. "As we consider our developments, we plan to bring in the community as part of that process. 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."
Blue Crane announced the purchase in May about a month after it closed a land deal for over 50 acres near Mercy Way, covering the Sugar Creek Shopping Center.
Although Cooper Communities Inc. sold the land to Blue Crane, they will reportedly continue to own and operate different residential and commercial businesses in the area. The City of Bella Vista, the Property Owners Association (POA), and multi-use trails will still be maintained by the City through an agreement with the POA.
Blue Crane hosted a meet-and-greet event at the Bella Vista Country Club for residents to "swing by and grab a cup of coffee and say hello" at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 10. So many residents showed up that some couldn't attend the standing-room-only meeting.
"I'm sure the fire marshal isn't watching because we have to be over occupancy on this. They were expecting like 100 and some odd people and I bet there are probably 500 here," resident Duane Hume said jokingly.
Hume hopes they bring a mixed residential development so that "the tax bases don't always fall the on the resident."
City Councilmember Doug Fowler was in attendance and said he was very excited to see what's coming to their city. Residents felt positive about the future with Blue Crane as their previous works included developments like the Ledger, 8th Street Market, and the Bentonville Cycling Center project.
"This is going to be positive for us. You never want to be stagnant as a community, you always want to be looking forward and figuring out what you can do to keep your city current and keep it relevant," Fowler said.
"There are more opportunities to make so many different things that didn't exist 20 years ago. And it looks like with the support of the Waltons, that's going to continue into the future," Resident Charlie Teal echoed.
Bella Vista Mayor John Flynn said he is pleased about the increased involvement from the Runway Group and Blue Crane, as multiple surrounding areas have "benefited greatly from their ventures. I appreciate their willingness to work with our city, and their attitude of promoting responsible development and growth, while maintaining and protecting the environment."
If you want to know more about Blue Crane and their developments, check out their website.
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