Hot Springs' 58-year reign of hosting the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Pageant came to an end Wednesday.
The Miss Arkansas Scholarship Pageant Board of Directors announced Wednesday that the 2017 pageant will be held at the newly renovated Robinson Center in Little Rock in June.
The pageant had been held in Hot Springs since 1958.
Hot Springs, Little Rock and Conway submitted proposals to host the pageant. The board's request for proposals asked the cities and venues to submit a proposed minimum five-year contract, along with an advertising and promotion plan.
The request for proposals also specified that the proposed time of the pageant "must be in the first three full weeks in the month of June, each year."
Hot Springs, citing conflicts with its existing meeting schedule at the Hot Springs Convention Center, proposed alternative dates of June 24-30, 2018; May 25-June 1, 2019; May 23-30, 2020; and May 29-June 6, 2021.
"We have released the holds on all the dates we had held for the pageant, and we are actively selling those dates," Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs, told The Sentinel-Record Wednesday.
"The decision by the Miss Arkansas Pageant Board of Directors to relocate the Miss Arkansas Pageant to Little Rock was painstakingly difficult," Kelly Bales, Miss Arkansas Pageant Board of Directors president, said in a news release.
"Hot Springs is home for many of us and a city that holds a special place in the hearts of the others, having spent many summer vacations in Hot Springs for the Miss Arkansas Pageant. It is important for us that the citizens of Hot Springs know that this has been a three year long process in trying to move our dates back to June," Bales said.
"Unfortunately, this was unable to happen and we felt it necessary for our program to go forward with bidding our event to other centrally located Arkansas cities that could accommodate our needs. We listened to the proposals with open minds and sifted through them with a fine-toothed comb. In the end, the results were clearly defined and although we cherish the past, we must embrace the future. The board of directors is forever grateful for the support of Hot Springs since 1958 and we will treasure the wonderful memories we have shared in this beautiful city," she said.
According to Arrison, during the first three weeks of June, the convention center has contracts with the following groups: the Arkansas Bar Association, which had 3,835 registered attendees this year; the United Methodist Annual Conference, which had 4,400 registered; the Arkansas Extension Homemakers 105th Annual Convention, which had 1,350 registered; and the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development Supervision & Curriculum, which had 1,500 registered.
"These are all multiday meetings that utilize lodging properties and restaurants in our community. All with signed contracts. We had no choice," he said.
"After a long and mutually beneficial relationship extending for 58 years, Hot Springs regrets that the organizers of the Miss Arkansas Pageant today decided to change the location of the pageant," Arrison said in a news release sent out earlier in the day.
"The Visit Hot Springs staff worked hard to keep the pageant in the city that has been its home for more than a half century. But because of existing contracts with other customers extending for 10 years into the future we were unable to accommodate the pageant organizers' request to change the pageant dates. We understand the pageant organizers' decision and wish the pageant continued success in its new location. And we will work hard to get the pageant back for Hot Springs if the organizers ever decide to change their minds," he said.
According to Little Rock's presentation materials, the newly remodeled Robinson Center will open in November and be able to hold 2,200 attendees. The attachment of the Doubletree Hotel to the center would make transportation minimal and production equipment would not have to be moved in for the pageant.
"It's a performing arts theater already. Bank of the Ozarks arena is a convention center. One of the differences is all of their sound systems and lighting are already there whereas the Bank of the Ozarks arena, we have to bring that in," said Brad Hudgens, Miss Arkansas Scholarship Pageant board member.
Though Little Rock's presentation did not contain a set part for scholarships, Hudgens said the city of Little Rock will introduce the pageant to a lot more people. After the pageant asked cities to propose dates within the first three weeks of June, the Robinson Center moved some agreements to be able to accommodate the pageant.
"They told us that they made a phone call and contacted someone else who had a previous agreement with them and asked if they could shuffle them a little bit. They did and it worked," Hudgens said. "We will end up saving money versus Hot Springs. That's not the major reason for the change. The biggest negative for Hot Springs was the dates."
"We are thrilled to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Miss Arkansas Pageant in our new home, Little Rock, and the newly renovated Robinson Center, where the 80th Miss Arkansas will be crowned on June 17, 2017," Jessie Ward Bennett, Miss Arkansas Pageant executive director, said in a news release.
"We look forward to developing a long-term relationship with Little Rock and central Arkansas. We want the Little Rock metropolitan area to become a part of our annual festivities and celebrate Miss Arkansas year-round," she said.
"As Little Rock becomes the host of this popular annual event, LRCVB looks to forge a long-lasting partnership with pageant representatives as we plan to showcase the city to its contestants, and their family and friends," LRCVB President and CEO Gretchen Hall said in the release.
"In the coming days, Robinson Center will soon be a world-class facility, and that has helped attract this world-class event," she said.
"We are thrilled to have this opportunity to host the Miss Arkansas Pageant," Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola said in the release. "This organization represents the very best of our state. As a nationwide leader in educational scholarships, it is a testament to the commitment and investment in our future leaders," he said. "I'm confident these women will embrace our city and all we have to offer."
The pageant began in 1921, and at the time was held at various venues in the state. The pageant moved to Hot Springs in 1958, when it was held outdoors at Oaklawn Park. The pageant relocated in 1965 to the newly constructed Hot Springs Convention Auditorium. In its last years at the racetrack, the pageant drew up to 9,000 paying observers, but the seating of the convention center limited the number of guests to 4,600, according to a history of the pageant provided last year by the Miss Arkansas organization.
Local on 09/01/2016