Why did Arkansas move the Fayetteville airport to Bentonville in the 90's?

Lookin4Answers · 03-13-2008, 11:36 PM

I have relatives in Fayetteville and had visited them in 1990 flying into the convenient Fayetteville airpoirt, close to town and the university. Recently I flew in again, only the airport is now in Bentonville. I was rather shocked at it's location. In the middle of NO WHERE, no hotels, no towns, and you have to drive on back country roads for 15 minutes before you even get to a main road. Then it's another 25 miles on the main highway before you get to the city. It took almost an hour - I can see that in NYC or San Fran, but this is a very small city.

Why on earth would they move the airport so very far away in an area that has abundand farmland? You now MUST rent a car, because cab fare would be out of the question.

The new airport was built in the 90's at a cost of $107 million dollars to the tax payers.
Yes Walmart corporate headquarters is in Bentonville - I did notice many McMansions being built in the area, probably corporate people.

I understand that the old airport might not have been able to be expanded, but why SO far away?

Yes, Walmart seems like the most likely answer - and who was in office then? Clinton!! And who's wife worked on the board at Walmart?

sammy54321 · 03-13-2008, 11:59 PM

wal-mart?

Dave · 03-14-2008, 12:29 AM

The old airport sat in a valley that made it very difficult to land large aircraft (and take off again) with the runway only being one mile long and unable to be expanded. Also with the growing number of people in the nwa area it was decided that a more centralo location should be considered. The main reason however was the problems with runway size, location in a valley, and inability to expand any furthur du to property rights (borders greenland)

03-13-2008, 11:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
Lookin4Answers Newbie Join Date: Mar 14th, 2008 Posts: 1	Why did Arkansas move the Fayetteville airport to Bentonville in the 90's? I have relatives in Fayetteville and had visited them in 1990 flying into the convenient Fayetteville airpoirt, close to town and the university. Recently I flew in again, only the airport is now in Bentonville. I was rather shocked at it's location. In the middle of NO WHERE, no hotels, no towns, and you have to drive on back country roads for 15 minutes before you even get to a main road. Then it's another 25 miles on the main highway before you get to the city. It took almost an hour - I can see that in NYC or San Fran, but this is a very small city. Why on earth would they move the airport so very far away in an area that has abundand farmland? You now MUST rent a car, because cab fare would be out of the question. The new airport was built in the 90's at a cost of $107 million dollars to the tax payers. Yes Walmart corporate headquarters is in Bentonville - I did notice many McMansions being built in the area, probably corporate people. I understand that the old airport might not have been able to be expanded, but why SO far away? Yes, Walmart seems like the most likely answer - and who was in office then? Clinton!! And who's wife worked on the board at Walmart?

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03-13-2008, 11:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
sammy54321 Newbie Join Date: Mar 14th, 2008 Posts: 1	wal-mart?

03-14-2008, 12:29 AM	#3 (permalink)
Dave Newbie Join Date: Mar 14th, 2008 Posts: 1	The old airport sat in a valley that made it very difficult to land large aircraft (and take off again) with the runway only being one mile long and unable to be expanded. Also with the growing number of people in the nwa area it was decided that a more centralo location should be considered. The main reason however was the problems with runway size, location in a valley, and inability to expand any furthur du to property rights (borders greenland)