Newspaper Sells Daily Record Building

The Benton County Daily Record building in a 2012 file photo.

The Benton County Daily Record building in a 2012 file photo.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

The Benton County Daily Record is moving from its offices in downtown Bentonville early next year.

Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, owner of the Daily Record, sold the building at 104 S.W. “A” St. to Record Properties. The sale closed Thursday.

At A Glance

Office Sale

Northwest Arkansas Newspapers sold the Benton County Daily Record site at 104 S.W. “A” St. in Bentonville. The newsroom will move to 304 S.W. 16th St., Suite 14 in January.

The paper will move its Bentonville office and newsroom to leased space at 304 S.W. 16th St., Suite 14 in Bentonville in January.

Jeff Jeffus, president of the Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, said the downtown building wasn’t on the market, but the company was approached by two potential buyers.

He wouldn’t say what the sale price was, but records at the Benton County Circuit Clerk’s office showed the sale was around $700,000.

The property and 12,000-square foot building appraised at $568,750 earlier this year.

“We really outgrew our operational needs for that building,” he said. “It just made sense to sell.”

Jeffus said the company needs a larger space for circulation distribution in Bentonville and western Benton County than it has downtown, but less space for other functions.

Rusty Turner, editor and publisher for Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, said all newsroom employees working in Bentonville will move to the new office. “I don’t foresee any changes in the coverage we provide,” he said. “We’re simply moving to a different location.”

Jeffus said there are no layoffs associated with the sale, although some non-newsroom personnel will be reassigned to other locations within the company.

He said the company is still searching for a location for a circulation distribution center in Bentonville. Northwest Arkansas Newspapers will lease the downtown building back from the new owner on a month-to-month basis until a location is found.

Calls made to the buyer’s representatives weren’t returned Friday afternoon.

Northwest Arkansas Newspapers is a joint venture equally owned by Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Inc. and Stephens Media that formed in 2009.

In addition to the Daily Record, the company also owns the Rogers Morning News, Springdale Morning News, Northwest Arkansas Times in Fayetteville and the Northwest Arkansas edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in addition to several weekly newspapers, magazines and websites.