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Hot Springs board renews Metro Partnership contract after contentious Majestic-site debate
Summary
After hours of public comments about transparency and developer outreach for the former Majestic Hotel site, the Hot Springs Board of Directors renewed a one-year extension of its contract with the Hot Springs Metro Partnership, adopted several amendments to increase local vetting and consulting outreach, and set a March 31, 2026 deadline for the Metro Partnership’s Majestic vetting process.
The Hot Springs Board of Directors voted to renew its contract with the Hot Springs Metro Partnership and approved multiple amendments after lengthy public comment focused on the future of the former Majestic Hotel site and on transparency in the marketing process.
Public speakers pressed the board to tighten oversight of how the partnership markets the Majestic property and to allow additional vetting routes for developers. Tyler Draper, a District 5 resident, urged "a little bit more transparency," saying the city purchased the site with public money and residents deserve greater access to information. Other residents criticized the partnership’s exclusive role and questioned whether the organization had produced viable proposals in past years.
Metro Partnership leaders defended their work and presented performance data at the meeting. Carl McCaskill, vice president of economic development for the Metro Partnership, provided a summary of 2025 project…
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