TEXARKANA, Ark. — In an effort to breathe new life into the downtown entertainment district, the Texarkana, Arkansas Board of Directors voted Monday evening to significantly reduce rental fees for the Front Street Festival Plaza.
The move comes after city officials reported a lackluster year for the venue. Tracie Lee, Interim Public Works Director, informed the board that the plaza generated only $6,475 in revenue last year, primarily because the high cost of entry deterred organizers.
“The city manager looked at the fees a while back and wanted to decrease them to make Front Street Festival more marketable,” Lee said. “Last year… we only had two events that paid because the fees are so high.”
Major Fee Reductions
Under the newly adopted ordinance, most rental costs are being cut by approximately 50%. Director Lnaey Harris read the new fee structure into the record to ensure public transparency:
| Existing | Proposed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| For-Profit | Non-Profit | For-Profit | Non-Profit | |
| Security Deposit (refundable) | $500 | $500 | $500 | $300 |
| Cleaning Fee (required) | $500 | $500 | $0 | $0 |
| Daily Rental – All Areas | $2,000 | $1,500 | $1,000 | $750 |
| Half Day Rental – All Areas | $1,200 | $900 | $600 | $450 |
| Daily Rental – without Stage | $1,000 | $800 | $500 | $400 |
| Half Day Rental – without Stage | $750 | $500 | $375 | $250 |
The board also voted to eliminate a $500 cleanup fee that was previously charged in addition to a $500 security deposit. Officials noted that because event organizers are generally responsible for their own cleanup, the city was essentially charging for a service it was not performing.
Debate Over Security
While the board was nearly unanimous in its desire to lower costs, the discussion sparked a debate regarding future security requirements. City Manager Tyler Richards warned that while rental fees are going down, a new proposal for mandated police presence based on crowd size will be introduced at the next meeting.
Director Harris expressed concern that over-policing might discourage attendance, noting he hadn’t seen issues at recent events like Mardi Gras. “Don’t overdo it,” Harris cautioned. “I just don’t want you to have a redundant police presence.”
Richards countered that the city must be proactive. “We believe that it’s better to be proactive than reactive when you’ve got a crowd gathering of that size,” he said.
Other Board Business
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Water & Infrastructure: The board approved a contract with Holistic Utility Solutions for a water reduction analytics project and a contract with Plummer and Associates for field investigations along the State Line corridor.
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Millage Election: Assistant Mayor Brewer issued a final call for citizens to vote in the Texarkana Arkansas School District (TASD) millage election, noting that polls close Wednesday. “Our students deserve strong schools and a stronger community,” Brewer said.
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In Memoriam: The board observed a moment of reflection for former Ward 5 Director Barbara Minor, who passed away recently after serving two terms on the board.
The meeting concluded with the board entering an executive session to discuss an appointment to the Board of Adjustments.