Tag Archives: Downtown Little Rock Partnership

LR History, Cultural advocate Sharon Priest to retire from Downtown LR Partnership

Posted on by
Photo courtesy of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership

Photo courtesy of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership

The Downtown Little Rock Partnership announced today that Sharon Priest, the Partnership’s executive director will retire at the end of January.  Priest has been a longtime advocate for and supporter of Little Rock’s cultural life since the 1980s.

“For more than a decade, Sharon has served as our executive director and under her leadership, the Downtown Little Rock Partnership has helped facilitate tremendous growth for downtown.   Her guidance and expertise has been instrumental in the Partnership’s success and set the bar high for the next director,” said Susie Smith, president of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership board of directors. “On behalf of the board, we wish to thank Sharon for all her hard work and we appreciate her dedication to the growth of downtown Little Rock.”

In January 2003, Priest was selected to serve as executive director of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership (DLRP).  Priest reorganized the DLRP during that first year including rewriting the employee handbook, establishing policies and procedures and facilitating the Partnership’s office move to Capitol and Main. After commissioning a planning study and retreat, Priest placed economic development at the center of the DLRP’s efforts.

Under her leadership, the Downtown Little Rock Partnership has spearheaded the charge for revitalization of Main Street in collaboration with its stakeholders and the City of Little Rock, focusing on the redevelopment of existing structures, streetscape and safety.  In 2011, under Priest’s leadership, the Partnership successfully held the first ever Food Truck Festival on Main Street, a festival that has grown to become a major, destination event for downtown.

On behalf of the DLRP, Priest has facilitated the MacArthur Park Group, a grassroots organization of interested public and private stakeholders in MacArthur Park, through the award-winning MacArthur Park master plan process. She has organized successful clean-up efforts for the park and served as race director for the annual MacArthur Park 5K, a fundraiser for the master plan. Recently, the group raised the money for the first dog park in downtown Little Rock, MacArthur Unleashed Dog Park.

”Throughout my years in public service, one of the accomplishments I am most proud of is the many improvements to MacArthur Park.  I have enjoyed watching this beautiful area of our city become transformed into a vibrant place for all residents to enjoy,” said Sharon Priest.  “Thank you to everyone who helps make the Downtown Little Rock Partnership such a viable organization. Without our many members, city and county leadership and our amazing staff, none of this would be possible and I will miss all of you greatly.”

During her tenure with the Partnership, Priest earned significant recognition for her leadership.  In 2010 she received the prestigious Merit Award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Arkansas Chapter for her contributions to the architectural profession. Priest was the 2012 recipient of the Sandra Wilson Cherry Award for excellence in public service. She has also received the VISTA award from Little Rock Parks and Recreation for her work with MacArthur Park.

The board of directors will begin the search for a new executive director immediately.

Little Rock Look Back: The Opening of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center

Posted on by

wjcopenrainArkansas Globecoming was the name given to the series of events in connection with the opening of the Clinton Presidential Center.  The week had been warm and sunny as Al Franken entertained at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Aretha Franklin performed with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Senator John Glenn held court at the Museum of Discovery.  By Wednesday, November 17, Little Rock was filled with stars from the political and entertainment fields.  As many dignitaries as were here, there were rumors of even more who were supposedly here.

On Wednesday night, things reached a fever pitch. A reception at the Arkansas Arts Center was literally shoulder to shoulder. A preview tour of the Clinton Presidential Center was only slightly less crowded (because the space was so much bigger). Mary Steenburgen, Ted Danson and the Downtown Little Rock Partnership hosted a late night party at Nu.

As midnight approached, things slowed ever so slightly as people realized they had to be on site for the opening ceremony in a matter of hours.

Overnight a storm system came in. Not only did water fall, but so did the temperatures.

Those that did brave the weather had an unforgettable experience.  From performances by a rain-soaked Bono and The Edge to remarks by Presidents Carter, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Clinton, the event was memorable.  It was a Who’s Who of Washington, New York and Los Angeles.  All in Little Rock.

It took several hours for people to warm up and dry off after the event. But everyone agreed it was a memorable day for numerous reasons.

Little Rock Look Back: City Flag Adopted

Posted on by

City FlagOn October 18, 1988, the City of Little Rock Board of Directors adopted the first official flag for the City of Little Rock.

The adoption of Ordinance No. 15,566 was the culmination of a design competition which had been spearheaded by Little Rock City Director Sharon Priest (later Little Rock Mayor, Arkansas Secretary of State and now Executive Director of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership).

Prior to the Official Board of Directors meeting that day, a press conference was held in the Little Rock City Board Chambers for presentation of the City’s flag.  The City Beautiful Commission, a commission of the Department of  Parks and Recreation, sponsored a the contest which received a total of fifteen flag designs.

The flags were judged October 12, 1988, by City Directors and City Beautiful Commission Members. Director Sharon Priest presented the winning flag and introduced David Wilson, a law clerk at the Mitchell Law Firm, who designed the flag chosen for the $1,000 first prize. The second-place winner was Craig Rains, who received $500; and the third-place recipient was David Tullis, who received $250.

The flag was adopted by the City Board that night by a 6-0 vote; former mayor and current director Charles Bussey was absent.  Those voting to adopt the flag were Mayor Lottie Shackelford and directors Sharon Priest, Tom Prince, Buddy Villines, Buddy Benafield and Tom Milton.  Priest would be a future mayor while Prince, Villines and Benafield had all served as mayor.

The official description of the flag is as follows:

As the official flag of the City of Little Rock, its symbolism is described as follows: A clean white background of the banner represents the optimism and open potential that the city has to offer. The royal blue horizontal broad stripe symbolizes the Arkansas River which borders Little Rock, and has served as an economical and historical emblem since the city’s beginning. The forest green stripe runs vertical to the royal blue stripe, creating a cross which symbolizes the location and statute of Little Rock—a city serving not only as the crossroads of Arkansas, but a crossroad of the mid-southern United States as well.

The strong forest green color depicts the fields, parks and forests which contribute to the natural beauty of the city. The seal of the flag is a modernized adaptation of the current Little Rock seal. The razorback red silhouette of the great State of Arkansas shows her capitol, the City of Little Rock, represented by the centered star. The star rises directly above “The Little Rock”—the protruding cliff along the Arkansas River, which was discovered in 1722 by French explorer La Harpe, when the city was given the name. The Arkansas River behind the rock and the symmetrical oak leaves in the border of the seal are a stylized illustration of what the flag’s stripes represent—the natural beauty of the city. Finally, the gold color of the seal and bordering stripes symbolize the superior economic history, and the future economic potential that is available in the City of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Little Rock Look Back: Sharon Priest, LR’s 70th Mayor

Posted on by

Photo courtesy of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership

On September 12, 1947, future Little Rock Mayor Sharon Priest was born in Montreal, Canada. After marrying Bill Priest, she came to Little Rock. She began her public service at the grassroots level when she led the effort to bring flood relief to Southwest Little Rock and Pulaski County following the devastating flood of 1978 that killed 13 people in central Arkansas.

She was appointed to the Little Rock City Beautiful Commission.  Following that, she challenged an incumbent City Director and won her first elective office in 1986. In January 1989, she was named Vice Mayor of Little Rock by her colleagues on the City Board.  Two years later, she was selected Mayor becoming only the second female to serve as Mayor of Little Rock.  During her service to the City of Little Rock, she spearheaded the effort to create a Little Rock flag.  At the conclusion of her second four year term on the City Board, she decided to run for Secretary of State.
In November 1994, she elected Secretary of State, becoming the first woman to be elected to that position in Arkansas.  She was reelected in 1998.   In the summer of 2000, she becamePresident of the National Association of Secretaries of State. After the 2000 presidential election, she was thrust into the forefront of the movement towardelection reform. Ms. Priest testified before U.S. House and Senate Committees on election reform. As Secretary of State, restoring the Governor’s Reception Room and the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the State Capitol to their original splendor and restoring the rotunda marble are a few of her proudest achievements.
In January 2003, Ms.Priest was selected to serve as Executive Director of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership. Priest reorganized the Partnership during that first year. The Partnership is spearheading the revitalization of Main Street in collaboration with stakeholders and the City of Little Rock, focusing on the redevelopment of existing structures, streetscape and safety. She has also been a leading champion for the redevelopment of MacArthur Park, the City’s oldest park.

Prior to her work as an elected official, she worked as Director of Membership for Little Rock Chamber of Commerce and was founder and owner of the Delvin Company, a property management firm. She was a Toll Fellow in 1995, and has won numerous distinctions including the Excellence in Leadership Fellowship, Women Executives in State Government, 1997 and TIME/NASBE Award for Outstanding Leadership in Voter Education, 1996.  In 2013, she was the featured honoree at the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Roast and Toast, becoming the first (and to date only) female to be so honored.

ROCKing the TONY AWARDS – Clinton Library Opening with Spacey, Streisand and Hipp

Posted on by

Rock the Tonys KS BS PHKevin Spacey, Barbra Streisand, Paul Hipp

Little Rock connection: All three were in attendance in Little Rock for the opening of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center in November 2004.

Tony Awards connection: Spacey has a Tony Award for Featured Actor in a Play for 1991’s Lost in Yonkers. He has also been nominated for Actor in a Play in 1999 for The Iceman Cometh.

Streisand was nominated for Tony Awards in 1962 (Featured Actress in a Musical – I Can Get It for You Wholesale) and 1964 (Actress in a Musical – Funny Girl) and received a Special Tony in 1970.

Hipp was nominated for Actor in a Musical in 1991 for Buddy- The Buddy Holly Story.

While Bono and The Edge played at the Clinton Presidential Center opening and also penned the score for Spiderman, they failed to win a Tony nomination.

(The Culture Vulture met Spacey at a reception at the Arkansas Arts Center and had a conversation with Hipp and his girlfriend at a reception hosted by the Downtown Little Rock Partnership.)

MacPark 5K set for this Friday

Posted on by

macpark 5kThe 7th annual MacArthur Park 5k race is set for Friday, May 9, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. The race is for people of all ages and fitness levels… and it’s great for dogs and kids too! The race is hosted by the
MacArthur Park Group.

100% of proceeds benefit MacArthur Park and its affiliated programs. Race registration includes a t-shirt (while supplies last), Lawn Party with food and drink and a goody bag.

The lawn party will immediately follow the race, featuring The Steve Giles Band. Food and beverages will be provided by local vendors.

The race is for individuals, or your business can enter a “Corporate Cup” team of four individuals.

The MacArthur Park Group of public and private stakeholders stay focused on enhancements to the park, many recommended in the award-winning Connections: MacArthur Park Master Plan. The park keeps getting better and better!

The park features the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, the Arkansas Arts Center, and MacArthur Park “Unleashed” dog park.

Registrations may be dropped off at the Downtown Little Rock Partnership (523 South Louisiana, Suite 305) or mailed to P.O. Box 1937, Little Rock, AR 72203. Entries may also be emailed to
downtownpartnership@downtownlr.com.

For more information, please call the Downtown Little Rock Partnership at 501-375-0121. Deadline for registration is Wednesday, May 7. There will be no corporate cup registration on race day.

As Part of Entergy Arkansas 100th Birthday, Downtown Bridges Officially Illuminated Tonight

Posted on by

Arkansas River LightsEntergy Arkansas, the City of Little Rock, Pulaski County Facilities Board Authority, the William J. Clinton Foundation, the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, the City of North Little Rock and the Downtown Little Rock Partnership will be celebrating the official illumination of the Main Street, Junction and Clinton Presidential Park Bridges at First Security Amphitheater.

Event Schedule:

5:00-6:00 PM      Entertainment by the Natural State Brass Band

6:00-6:20 PM      Official Event – Opening remarks followed by the flipping of the switches and the illumination of all three bridges with a festive light show (bridges will remain illuminated)

Following              Entertainment by the Big Dam Horns

8:00 PM                 Event Ends

Ottenheimer Market Hall will be open for this event, so food and beverages will be available. This is a public event and all who want to attend and participate in this historic event will be welcomed – it is sure to be great fun, and an exciting day in our city’s history.

This once-in-a-lifetime event is made possible by a $2 million gift by Entergy Arkansas as part of its 100th anniversary in Arkansas, as well as support from the William J. Clinton Foundation, the Pulaski County Bridge Authority, Philips Lighting, Koontz Electric, the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock, Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau and the North Little Rock Visitors Bureau. Total project cost is $2.4 million.

According to James Jones of Entergy Arkansas:

Entergy Arkansas has much for which to be thankful, and much to celebrate. A century in business is a rare achievement, and we appreciate the opportunity to have been a part of Arkansas’ history since 1913. The utility industry and Arkansas have come a long way in 100 years, and Entergy Arkansas is proud to have played a part in “Helping Build Arkansas,” a phrase founder Harvey Couch said often.