Progress on planned North Little Rock entertainment center at a standstill

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The plot of dirt where the old Wild River Country water park once stood on Crystal Hill Road in North Little Rock may continue to be dusty for some time.

In 2022, the multi-million-dollar Maly’s Entertainment Center was announced and was expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

"They began quite impressively as they cleared the land. It was thrilling to witness their progress, but as you can observe, everything has come to a halt," stated North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick.

North Little Rock is developing plans for an entertainment center to take the place of Wild River Country.

Hartwick says he met with developers last week who informed him that the project is at “a standstill.”

Tracing back to 2022 when the announcement was made, Mayor Hartwick states, "We listened to everything they planned to accomplish and felt very enthusiastic about it, yet, as we can see, nothing has transpired."

The $28 million initiative aimed to introduce 200 employment opportunities, an electronically equipped driving range, bowling facilities, a virtual arcade, dining options, retail stores, and residential units.

"It’s disappointing because there was a great deal of enthusiasm," Hartwick pointed out.

Regarding the reason for the halt, Hartwick suggested that multiple elements might be at play.

"Interest rates are really high right now. I'm aware they've faced several issues in properties they previously owned, so there might be various factors at play," Hartwick stated.

City of North Little Rock to announce Malys Entertainment Center on former site of Wild River Country

At the press conference back in 2022, Maly’s announced that the project would bring in an estimated $10 million a year to North Little Rock.

The latest comment regarding this project on Maly’s Facebook page dates back almost four months.

The remark was "Is this still going on?" and Maly responded with "Yes."

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