FORT SMITH, Ark. — Tuesday, the Fort Smith Board of Directors met to discuss the proposed re-zoning of a small property adjacent to the old Best Buy building off I-540, on Rogers Ave.
Within minutes, the board of directors approved the re-zoning ordinance. The area is being rezoned to make the entire area a commercial property. The board voted unanimously in favor of the re-zoning, 7-0.
Legal Repercussions:
Prior to the board meeting, 5NEWS spoke with Fort Smith-based attorney Joey McCutchen about the illegal incentive. “They should be held accountable," said McCutchen speaking about the City of Fort Smith and the board of directors.
“Six out of seven city directors are told that this is illegal, and they break their necks to do it anyway. It's really disheartening”
In March, Senator Greg Stubblefield filed SB493 in an effort to legalize the Fort Smith incentive of $2.5 million in taxpayer money to bring Project X to the city. After that failed, Stubblefield brought it up again during the 'sine die' at the capital.
“Where does this slippery slope end," asked McCutchen. "Or are we just going to show favoritism to the big corporations?”
McCutchen says that if Project X comes to Fort Smith and the incentive is still illegal, Fort Smith taxpayers can take legal action:
McCutchen says that "The taxpayers could be reimbursed for an illegal appropriation of money to a private corporation."
Could 'Project X' be a Bass Pro Shop?
McCutchen believes the project could be a Bass Pro Shop based on letters from Fort Smith Mayor George McGill and city administrator Carl Geffken to Developer Charles Hodges.
“[Hodges is] the same developer who is developing a Bass Pro Shop in Midland, Texas,” McCutchen said.
In April, 5NEWS’ content partner Arkansas Business reported seeing a Bass Pro Shop representative scouting potential sites in Forth Smith.
5NEWS did reach out to Sen. Stubblefield about if he would re-file SB493 next session, he says he must talk with property owner Bennie Westphal first.
5NEWS also asked the city of Fort Smith for comment, but officials declined to speak.
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