Is an indoor sports complex something Fort Smith needs? The Fort Smith Advertising & Promotion Commission is poised to find out.
The A&P commission approved $7,250 toward a feasibility study for an indoor sports facility at its April 27 meeting. In order to have the necessary funds for the study, the commission needs to chip in $7,500, so the question will return to the board at its meeting Tuesday (May 25).
“I made an error and thought we needed $7,250. I’m not sure why. We need to amend it to $7,500,” said Tim Jacobsen, executive director of the Fort Smith Convention and Visitors Bureau.
If the amended funding is approved, it will be combined with $7,500 from the City of Fort Smith as the matching funds for a $15,000 50-50 matching grant from Arkansas Tourism for the money necessary for a study by Conventions, Sports & Leisure International, an advisory and planning firm based in Minneapolis.
Jacobsen said Arkansas Tourism has a grant available for attractions and facilities that has matching funds up to $15,000.