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[shavethewhales]

Who else has made it out to Hot Springs recently? I guess it's pretty well known that the area has seen better days, but I think it's still a really interesting place.

I feel like it's another frustrating example of low expectations and missed opportunities though. You can tell there just hasn't been much unifying vision since the end of the bathhouse era. The original plans for the national park and Bathhouse row were so outstanding, it's a huge shame that never got built. So much of what was built has been taken down piece by piece in favor of parking and crap development that has already faded out.

Right now they are demolishing the old Majestic Hotel as I type this. Such a shame, although the part of it that was truly worth saving burned down in a suspicious fire right after the found somebody willing to make an attempt at saving it. That whole area north of the strip is a wasteland now, and I have a feeling it's going to be turned into dollar generals and strip mall development before too long.

I think the bathhouse concept with natural hot springs water could actually be brought back these days though. Not on the level of the 1920's, but spa's and resorts are getting more popular again. Throw in a small indoor waterpark and you have a real attraction on your hands.

[Junior, too!]

Hard economic times in Hot Springs. Most of the good stuff going on in the state is in  northwest AR and Jonesboro. Sad, Hot Springs could be much more.

[chittlins]

The #1 issue with Hot Springs, specifically downtown is that there's a couple of folks that owner large parts of it and they are just horrible to deal with specifically when it comes to renovation which would likely require them to sell.

Now o e of the old buildings downtown called the Thompson Building is undergoing a 10,000,000 dollar transformation into an Ascend Collection Hotel.



That's a great start.

[chittlins]

It was shady as Heck, Shave. The town's mayor, is hard core tea party and is anti anything.  They elect her though.

I also thought legalizing casino gambling but limiting the size of the those parlors and tying it into historic preservation of historic buildings was a way.  The Arlington could benefit from this. The Magestic could have.  If you said build the facade back to it's original appearance, you can operate a 30,000 ft. Gaming room. A portion of the gaming proceeds would fund bathhouse preservation and other enhancements like maybe a working replica of the old trolley system. Let's be honest, gambling made Hot Springs. The grandeur of the buildings were financed by gambling. Setting up a mechanism that allowed boutique gaming to help fund revitalization might by the ticket.

[chittlins]

I think I've posted this before but it still rings true
http://m.hotsr.com/news/2014/feb/27/shame-hot-springs/

https://vimeo.com/175757967

[chittlins]

There is also an active Facebook page called Concerned citizens for Downtown Hot Springs. It has videos showing off old basement bowling alleys and what not.

[Duelist]

I live about 35 miles northeast of Hot Springs.  My brother in law drove one of the Ducks around town for the previous 3 summers.  Hot Springs has a lot of interesting history.

[chittlins]

I live about 35 miles northeast of Hot Springs.  My brother in law drove one of the Ducks around town for the previous 3 summers.  Hot Springs has a lot of interesting history.

It being one of the first spring training areas for MLB is quite something considering I 've seem races at Oaklawn cancelled for snow.

[Duelist]

[/quote]

It being one of the first spring training areas for MLB is quite something considering I 've seem races at Oaklawn cancelled for snow.
[/quote]

That's true but if one of the ballplayers falls and breaks a leg they don't shoot him- LOL