Texarkana certified as Competitive Community by governor

TEXARKANA, Ark. (KSLA) - It’s great economic news for southwest Arkansas: Texarkana has been certified by Governor Asa Hutchinson as a Competitive Community, a recognition very few cities in the state have received.

“It means this community has worked very hard to be ready for economic development,” Gov. Hutchinson said.

Texarkana, Ark. has 1,300 acres of land ready for development; Gov. Hutchinson was in the area Wednesday, April 13 to praise the economic development efforts made by city and Miller County leaders for this accomplishment.

“What we see coming out of the pandemic is businesses want to move quickly. The supply chain is behind. They got to invest quickly. They got to make quick decisions on expansion, so if you are not ready, you are not going have a chance to compete, and Texarkana is ready,” the governor said.

In 2018, the governor established the Competitive Community Initiative to encourage communities to do more to attract industries to the State of Arkansas. Texarkana leaders got on board by getting the 1,300 acres of land ready for industrial use. Mayor Allen Brown says they’re hoping for a big return on the investment.

“It’s an open market. We have a footprint for an auto manufacturer, for small manufacturing jobs, high tech, good-paying jobs, but manufacturing is the key in creating jobs and we are doing that today,” said Mayor Brown.

The mayor says the certification by the state is good for both the city and the state as a whole.

“I like where we are as a state, and we got more opportunities ahead,” said Gov. Hutchinson.

The 1,300 acres are located about five miles east of Texarkana on U.S. Highway 67.