McGill highlights Fort Smith’s strengths: People, growth, opportunity

AI-assisted summary
• Fort Smith's mayor, George McGill, highlighted the city's growth, citing a population increase and the arrival of new businesses like Sam's Furniture and Sissy's Log Cabin.
• McGill emphasized the importance of Fort Smith's workforce, trained by institutions like UA-Fort Smith and the Peak Innovation Center, in attracting these businesses.
• The mayor also lauded the city's strengthening status as a "Great American Defense Community," referencing the economic impact of the Foreign Sales Mission at Ebbing Air National Guard Base and the expansion of Fort Chaffee.
• McGill celebrated the city's commitment to health and safety, highlighting the expansion of Mercy Hospital and a significant decrease in the crime rate.
• He acknowledged the ongoing work to address the federal consent decree regarding the city's infrastructure, emphasizing the goal of modernizing these systems while requesting more time for completion.

“The one thing that remains constant is our people who give up their time and energy to make Fort Smith worthwhile,” Mayor George McGill said during his State of the City address. “The heart of Fort Smith isn’t just our trademarks and businesses, but the hard work and generosity of the people who call this place home.”

McGill held his annual address March 17 at the Reynolds Room at the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center on the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith campus.

“There are many opportunities to serve. We have many boards and commissions, so find a place to serve,” McGill said. “Oftentimes, when we’re talking about the state of the city or all these great things, we often overlook the entities that make up the bedrock of our community. The non-profits and agencies like our United Way, our Boys and Girls Clubs, the Harbor House, the Community Rescue Mission, the Salvation Army, that list goes on and on.

“They take care of the vulnerable in our city. These hundreds and hundreds of people… therein lies the strength of this community: How we care, how we give, and how we share.”

The City Grows

The mayor shared that the metro area of Fort Smith grew to 232,000 in 2024. 

McGill said he often speaks with the companies that are coming to Fort Smith or if they’re going to expand.

“They tell me the same thing. They’re coming here because of you,” McGill said. “They’re coming here because of the people that live here.”

Sam’s Furniture, a large, family-owned retailer, plans to expand to Fort Smith. Sissy’s Log Cabin, one of the state’s top jewelers, is set to open soon. Lockheed Martin opened up a facility to help support the Foreign Sales Mission at the Ebbing Air National Guard Base. EcoTech, a supplier for Walmart, is set to open a manufacturing facility on the old Trane campus. Recently, Bass Pro announced that it will expand into Fort Smith.

“And there are many other small and medium-sized businesses cropping up all over this city,” McGill said. “It’s not about attracting new businesses. It’s about the opportunities these businesses create for our people.

“When I talked to companies like Mitsubishi when they’re looking to put in facilities again when I spoke to the general from Singapore, and when I ask a company that plans to expand their footprint in Fort Smith, they all say the same thing: It’s the people. They’re trained and are trainable to do these jobs, and it’s diversity.”

McGill cited the efforts of UA-Fort Smith, the Fort Smith School District’s Peak Innovation Center, and Workforce Development to help prepare area residents for the next generation of job skills. 

Fort Smith: Great American Defense Community

The mayor said that the Foreign Sales Mission's economic impact could reach more than $1 billion. He also mentioned that Fort Chaffee recently announced its 142nd Field Artillery Unit expansion.

“We are considered a great American defense community because of our commitment through our military, our Army National Guard,” McGill said.

Keep Fort Smith Healthy

The Mayor talked about the upgrade of the Creekmore Park swimming pool and new diving facility. 

“We’re looking forward to that, to being able to host those major regional swim meets, and to being proud of what they see when they come to our city,” said McGill. “We also have hopes for an indoor multi-purpose sports facility. I would love to see that happen. We need one. If we’re going to be a Premier City, which we are… we need that indoor sports facility.”

Mercy Hospital-Fort Smith is nearing completion of a $200-million expansion that will open by summer. 

“This is going to be able to help save lives and support families and ensure that every resident has access to the best possible health care,” McGill said. “The College of Health Education has close to 700 students, training to be doctors and specialists. They’re right in our community. We have an amazing opportunity to influence them to stay in our area and provide those services to the people in this region. We can do that by what we do and say because this is who we are as a community. So let’s make sure that they feel good about their stay here. Let’s ensure we treat them with utmost respect and encourage them to practice here in Fort Smith when they finish their schooling.”

Keep Fort Smith Safe

McGill also discussed the work with the state highway department to expand the roads to help Fort Smith grow. He also mentioned how the departments work to keep the citizens safe.

“There’s always a big elephant in the room,” McGill said. “Ours is the federal consent decree. I applaud those who work day in and day out to try to come closer to a positive solution for us as we press forward. Keep in mind that, yes, it’s a federal consent decree, but when we complete the work, we will have a modernized infrastructure at the end of the day. We’re just asking them for more time to get it done.”

The mayor stated that there wasn’t a murder in Fort Smith in 2024 and that since 2021, the crime rate has gone down 40%.

“These things don’t happen by accident. It happens through hard work and dedication of people in our police department and all of you,” McGill said. “You are patrolling your neighborhoods. You’re talking to your children, which makes a difference in the relationship our police department has built in our neighborhoods. People are not afraid of them. They welcome them into the community so they can serve well. The commitment of our officers, firefighters, first responders, and 911 operators is unmatched.”