County Judge Promotes Music Venue

BENTONVILLE — County Judge Bob Clinard said Thursday it’s “time to move forward” on the Osage Creek Performing Arts Pavilion.

“This project has been in the works for a long time,” Clinard said. “We’re not wanting to stifle them. We want this to move forward.”

Clinard addressed the project at a meeting of the county’s Development Review Committee. The committee was formed earlier this year to facilitate the planning process by providing developers with a forum to discuss planning and development with county staff and representatives of other interested agencies.

The Osage Creek project, on Logan Cave Road in the southwestern part of the county, has been in the planning process since 2004, according to information presented by Rinkey Singh, planning division manager. Singh said a concept plan for the project was approved in December 2004 and a more detailed plan was approved in 2011.

John Sudduth, general services administrator, said the project has been active, although work has been slow, since the 2011 approval.

“All of our permits are still current,” Sudduth said. “None of them have been abandoned for 180 days.”

Tim Sorey, owner of Sand Creek Engineering, said there have been some changes to the design and he hopes to present the information to the planning staff soon and update the Planning Board on the progress of the project at the board’s June 19 meeting. The overall project schedule will largely be controlled by the requirement for state Health Department review and approval of concessions, on-site water supply and waste water disposal, Sorey said.

“The Health Department timeline is going to be controlling,” Sorey said.

Mark Curtis, Planning Board chairman, said the board needs to see the proposed changes to be certain the project remains within the scope of the 2011 approval.

Greg Smith, owner of the development, said he has no events planned for 2013, but expects “a full schedule of events” for 2014.

Ray Yomtob with Access International Marketing Group, who Smith identified as a partner in the venture, said the pavilion may be used in 2013 for some yet-to-be-identified community projects that may not be music events. Yomtob said the recent announcement the Arkansas Music Pavilion will move from Fayetteville to Rogers doesn’t affect the Osage Creek project.

“This isn’t any competition,” Yomtob said. “Northwest Arkansas has room for talent. After all, what’s a choir? Lots of people singing together.”

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