Downtown Little Rock is set for a major transformation after receiving a $30 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund to help build the new 30 Crossing Park.
The grant is part of the Bezos Earth Fund’s $100 million Greening America’s Cities initiative, which is funding new parks and green spaces in 8 cities across the nation.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, U.S. Congressman French Hill, Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr., Bezos Earth Fund President and CEO Tom Taylor, and Little Rock Regional Chamber Board Chairwoman Ruth Whitney joined together Tuesday to announce the historic investment.
The planned 23-acre park will replace a vacant former Interstate 30 cloverleaf exit in the River Market District, creating a destination for arts, sports, recreation, nature, and community events.
City leaders say the project will reconnect neighborhoods, improve access to the Arkansas River, expand trails, and provide new entertainment opportunities in downtown Little Rock.
Plans for the first phase include a welcome center, playground, sports courts, walking trails, and open green space beneath the Interstate 30 bridge between President Clinton Avenue and East 2nd Street.
Mayor Frank Scott Jr. called the investment transformational.
“This $30 million investment will reconnect land, neighborhoods, trails, cultural destinations, and people while helping reshape downtown and the riverfront for generations.”
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders praised the project as another example of continued investment in Arkansas and highlighted the importance of creating quality public spaces that benefit residents and visitors alike.
Congressman French Hill said the partnership demonstrates what can happen when public and private organizations work together to strengthen communities and improve the quality of life in Arkansas’s capital city.
Bezos Earth Fund President and CEO Tom Taylor said quality green spaces should be available to everyone and not considered a luxury.
Officials say the project will help revitalize downtown while encouraging additional investment throughout Arkansas’s capital city.
Little Rock joins Allentown, Atlanta, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and Sioux Falls in receiving funding through the national initiative.
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